The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS
CBD parking not fair for businesses
In reply to Cherie Luxton's letter (March 30) about the CBD parking I think that the argument about who pays is a fair comment and this is where I, as a retailer, think the problem arises.
The CBD customers are the only people who pay for the privilege of shopping anywhere in the city and with the real threat of receiving a fine of up to $40 as well. Now this doesn't happen in shopping malls does it?
Why doesn't the council meter the Mount Maunganui and Greerton shopping areas as well as any other business area they own? That would level the playing field and give us some chance of competing with other areas in the city.
The other concern is that very little money collected from the meters goes back to the CBD with quite a lot going in to subsidising the buses, of which most call into the shopping malls, some going into cycleways and walkways around the city and some going into the council coffers to subsidise the ratepayers like yourself. Now can this be called fair?
All we ask is to give the retailers and their customers the same chance to do business as elsewhere in the city.
Bill Campbell, Papamoa
Original house
Re House to be home 50 years on (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, March 26).
What are the chances of ever seeing a house in its original state 50 years on?
What a great opportunity for the Te Puke community if they were able to use this as an opportunity to do a fundraiser for the Christchurch appeal.
The article certainly provoked interest and many people have expressed "that they would love to see it".
Mr Welsh was known as "Pete the Plasterer" to the locals. It would be a tribute to him and his skill as a bricklayer and plasterer that his work helped rebuild Christchurch in some way.
Patricia Birley, Te Puke
Post Shop staff
As an ex-Tauranga citizen who now lives in Christchurch, I was appalled at the response of the NZ Post employee and the two people in the shop I would have bought her the tape myself. I would have given them all a piece of my mind. I will not go to that Post Office when I am in Tauranga.
I hope those people never have to go through what we have been through and what we are still having to go through since September 4.
H Howlett, Christchurch
Rude service
As a Papamoa resident I feel the lady from Christchurch was treated badly at our Post Shop.
The two women who spoke to her said words that were rude and unnecessary. Possibly there were many people in the shop waiting to be served, there always are, sometimes the queue goes out the door. The Post Shop is far too small and cramped for the Plaza Shopping Centre population. We need a much bigger shop. Also there is no privacy for Kiwibank transactions.
All of the above is frustrating for both the customers and staff and may have brought about the thoughtless words.
Mrs I Howarth, Papamoa
Clarion call
Gentlemen of the Tauranga City Council, it is high time you took some action regarding tsunami sirens that can be heard by all.
Good old-fashioned air raid sirens would be perfect. Having heard them as a child and survived a few air raids, I can vouch for their efficacy. No doubt they can and should be supplemented by other modern means. No further so-called expert advise is needed. In view of Japan's experience it is high time for action and not further dithering.
Renata Cheyne, Mount Maunganui
Film screening
We wish to again thank the people of Tauranga who supported us at the recent premiere screening of Madame Butterfly at Rialto.
This fundraising event for the Tauranga Nanchang Friendship Trust was another success so students from impoverished families from rural China will benefit from your attendance at this screening.
These young people, in 2011, coming from homes similar to that of Li Cao Xin (Mao's Last Dancer) in 1969 will be helped to do their mandatory work experience during their university courses by working briefly in New Zealand.
Though much of China is developing at some exponential rate, the trickle down to farmers is comparatively slow.
The Tauranga Nanchang Friendship Trust was established to help the children of rural China to benefit from an international experience. The trust will bankroll students for their air tickets to New Zealand; students will work here and pay back the trust, learn about New Zealand, then return to China and graduate.
The trust also thanks for their interest and support: Tracey Rudduck-Gudseel and the team at Creative Tauranga, Shane Kennedy House of Travel, Simon at Bureta Pharmacy, Birchwood Motel, KwangChow Restaurant, Jane Watchorn at Harbourside Restaurant and Linda Preston at Mills Reef Winery.
Without you we would be lost.
Please also note that in the near future the trust will be using its organisation to run similar fundraising evenings at Rialto for earthquake relief in Christchurch.
John Hodgson, Tauranga Nanchang Friendship Trust
Fake cannabis ban
Re: Time to snuff out fake cannabis (Our View, March 28).
If it is time to ban this legal product which is like cannabis (but is not), then it must surely be time to ban alcohol too.
Why should this be banned but not alcohol?
The hypocrisy astounds me.
I know a better, more moral solution.
You mind your own business and drink or take what you like, if you let others drink and take what they like.
For this to happen, of course, all parties need to be responsible for their own lives and actions (which the Government won't let you because they know what's best for you, don't they?).
Do you own your own life and body or do politicians own it?
My life and body are mine to do with as I please.
I am not a puppet to do the bidding of the majority or of immoral, principle-less politicians.
Graham Clark, Lower Kaimai
Draft plans
Yes, we need tsunami alarms and escape routes sorted.
Yes, we can do something right now to make our councils aware of how concerned we are about this issue.
Councils currently have their draft annual plans open for public consultation.
This is an ideal opportunity to make councillors aware of our concerns.
There is only a limited time for submissions - those to Tauranga City Council's draft annual plan close on April 21 and those to Bay of Plenty Regional Council's draft annual plan close on April 26.
You can pick up submission forms from council service centres, libraries or from the council's websites.
Putting in a submission is simple.
Just note your key points. You do not need to speak to your submission in person, however if a lot of people speak to the same issue at the council hearings, this has huge impact, and will make councillors sit up and take notice.
It is important to get our concerns heard now before councils start planning for their 10-year plans later this year. Budgets are set for the next 10 years, and we need funding allocated to pay for tsunami warnings and escape routes.
Sandra Des Forges, Papamoa
Text views
* Re peter huxam views on sirens. It is yr choice 2 live at welcme bay, why should we pay 4 yr new traffic lights/rnd a bout.
* Workers burned on ship who paid for their treatment the tax payer or the tax payer through acc? yea right.
* Comunity probatn rnt doin thea job if a paedofile cn aproach kids with dark intent & thnk hez doin nufn rong. Eitha that or thez huge flaws/gaps wif da systm.
* The doctor who is fighting 2 get of drink conviction, should take her punishment. Why should she b treated any differently from any1 else in nz! She broke the law, no1 forced her 2 drink. She needs 2 accept responsibility!
* Why cnt thy just leave it hw it was frm the start. Im 31 now and seen the changes. its a shame the mt is lokn like the g coast. dam shame. (;Taniwha;)
* I love da idea of havng a drv-in datl b orsum. Cnt w8!!!
* Acc - going to a phyiso rehab. Acc are now sending me to one of theirs phyiso rehabs thats 2 im going to now for same results, now thats what i call saving taxpayers money. Yea right.
* Earth hour. We celebrated it by turning ON all our lights it was beautiful. Why? because we new zealanders are always in the dark, get the drift.
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