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:
Proposal hits raw nerve
Re: Raw pursuit gets unwanted notice (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, June 18). It was interesting to read the article involving Andrew Pointon.
I note he mentions that he is interested in establishing a designated area where naturists are free to exercise.
He says, quote, "if people don't like it, then they wouldn't go there".
This is a fair comment, giving the public a choice as to whether they use their naturalist facilities.
Interestingly, he goes on to say that he has notified all his neighbours of being a naturist and that he chooses to do the lawns and gardens unclothed.
As a neighbour for close to 20 years to the property in which he resides, it has only recently come to our attention that he was likely a naturist. With this I have no problem.
Prior to last week, he has always worn stubbies while gardening and mowing lawns on the front of the property. He says he's pushing boundaries and this appears to be so.
Given that there is a primary school in very near vicinity, I would find it rather inappropriate that he would garden or mow his front lawn naked in full view of the street when there's a high possibility of children passing by.
Should this occur, wouldn't this take away the choice of any children or other persons as to whether they view a naturist in a public place?
Sandi van der Vlugt, Avenues
Pedestrian way
Having been detained in Cairns by "ash over the Tasman". I have taken to reading up on the city and find that they want to dispose of the pedestrian centre that was created in the 80s as it "isn't working".
Wonder how Team Tauranga think that turning The Strand into a pedestrian way will be viewed in a few years' time?
Roy Edwards, Tauranga
School shame
Re: Girl choked at Tauranga Girls' College (news, June 22).
It is horrible that a person had to go through this.
I say put pictures of the seven girls who tormented this young girl on the front of the paper so they feel the repercussions of their horrible actions.
I moved here from Auckland with my two daughters to get away from this type of behaviour. I will definitely not be sending my girls to this school.
Shame on you TGC.
Jodie Thomson, Mount Maunganui
No BB threat
You asked the public "should BB guns be banned?" (News, June 23)
In my opinion - no.
Banning BB guns (semi-automatic versions are known as airsoft guns) would be like banning a tennis racquet. The item in question doesn't pose a threat unless it is used by someone who is irresponsible and already intending to break the law, which is the minority of the population.
I represent a group of responsible individuals who share a passion for the sport of airsoft. It is a fun sport, much like paintball, than cannot cause serious harm to the willing participants who play it. Why don't you come out and play some time? We'd love to show you around what the sport is like and introduce you to some of the awesome Tauranga-based people who play the sport of airsoft.
www.taurangaairsoftclub.co.nz
Reuben (Gauge) Ellett, Tauranga Airsoft Club
Lack of discipline
Re Why our schools must act openly (Our View, June 23).
Do not blame the schools for the way the youth in this country is acting.
It is all our fault for being so apathetic in this country.
We as adults have let them down by not giving our children boundaries and teaching them that if in life you overstep the boundaries seriously, then there will be serious consequences.
We also have let society down by letting successive governments take away the rights of the teachers to discipline our children.
For the last 20 years I have watched as the young learnt to manipulate the system and do as they pleased knowing that the only recourse for the teachers and schools was to expel them.
All the people of my generation went through school knowing if we did do something wrong, we would be physically punished, so we did not do bad things.
There were the few hard ones that corporal punishment did not dissuade but they were a very small minority and we all knew where they would end up.
Getting back to this situation at TGA girls, if you really need to point the finger, try the "the board".
They are the ones that dished out the wet bus ticket.
(Abridged)
Jonno Phillips, Tauranga
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