No gentleman: Letters, 26 March

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

Frugal touch needed in all parts of Government

Councils need to have the time and motion study experts come in and cut the overstaffed situation that prevails, the Government could use their brains as well.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Reserve Bank advanced finance to councils at 1 per cent interest.

If that was done then, why can't it be done now? Wouldn't be a bad thing if the money lenders suffered for a change, they have caused enough grief to everyone, and the government bails them out from the the taxpayers' pocket. It is more than time that those in government showed that they have some common sense, or is that too much to expect? I am also wondering when the politicians are going to be reduced in number along with the public service cuts.

BC Clark, Omokoroa

Designated carpark luxury for councillors

The council obviously has no idea the problems a lot of hard-working people face trying to find a place to park so they can get to work on time.

I, and 12 other people I work with, are just a few of many who start work at 7am or 7.30am.

Catch a bus, you may say. I would if they started early enough so I was at work by 6.55am.

Likewise with the parking buildings, although the cost weekly just wouldn't be an option.

Maybe that is why they are nearly always empty. Unlike the councillors of Tauranga, we don't have the luxury of designated parking. I sympathise with residents and can understand their annoyance but the council is not offering other solutions such as removing the parking restrictions on third Ave and other neighbouring streets.

Leigh Carr, Bellevue

Marmite crisis

The worst has happened. The New Zealand Marmite production system has been shut down. The only factory in Christchurch has been shut down as an earthquake risk. This has lead to panic buying as I noted today in my local supermarket where there was no Marmite.

There are rumours that it will not come on stream again until June. What will happen to marmite junkies?

Will we see civil disorder?

Clearly vitamin B levels in the population will fall, probably resulting in more deranged people attacking corner store owners.

Many readers may not be aware that the original UK Marmite is available here. It is sold as "Our Mate" in the traditional iconic UK jars (small size) in our supermarkets. The commercial reasons for this are unclear. The UK product has a different formulation and is not as sweet as the New Zealand version. As a precaution I have stored some UK marmite in a secure vault in my home.

Maurice McKeown, Welcome Bay

No gentleman

The Commonwealth Cricket Series between Australia and India, live on February 26 was another black day for the game.

I have always considered cricket to be a team/gentleman's game.

(My apologies to the women's teams of late which I enjoy watching, on the rare occasions television coverage allows us to: another gripe I have.)

However, this view had a serious knockback several years ago when the Australian eleven opted to bowl an underarm ball on the last delivery to prevent the New Zealand team from having any chance of levelling/winning the game.

I have now just witnessed David Hussey, quite deliberately reaching out, and blocking a throw to his stumps with his gloved hand while trying complete a run. The issue, as stated by the Australian commentator, was not whether the run out could have been achieved, but rather the legality of a running batsman deliberately interfering with the trajectory of a fielded ball heading pretty directly to his stumps.

How the Third Umpire could reach a "Not Out" decision is utterly beyond comprehension.

Barry H Walker, Mount Maunganui

Road dysfunction

After years of double-digit rate increases, my six-monthly rates bill has cracked the $1000 mark. There have been calls from the community for the Council to review its spending priorities. The result of this appears to be another round of concrete lump construction in our quiet neighbourhood streets.

Tearing up existing and perfectly functional concrete medians to replace them with bigger ones is intended to annoy ratepayers and to disrupt traffic flow. An explanation of this bizarre behaviour would be useful.

Ross W Ogle, Tauranga

Save mobile library

I was interested in Richard Moore's column and his desire to retain the mobile library service. The Council plan to discontinue this service in their 10-Year Plan is to the detriment of 22,000 current users, including many schoolchildren.

This must not be allowed to happen. We have all the infrastructure set up to run an efficient, and appreciated mobile library service and once it goes it will not come back .

Please make your submission to retain our unique mobile library.

RW Parry Mount Maunganui

Stick to facts

Good on Garth George. How right he is.

A Kerikeri man chimes in and of course Ken Evans is now an "expert" on dental health.

The shame is that science can't answer hysteria and distortion of the facts. Of course good oral hygiene is effective along with good diet and no snacking but, it is the combination of all anti-decay methods we need to apply to reduce decay.

The more used, the greater the result.

However, fluoride correction is the only thing that works without the public having to do anything. It benefits everyone just by drinking the water, the lazy, those that try and avoid dentists and those who spend their money on other things, it still works.

Why can't we get over the hysterical objectors and accept it? So who should we listen to? The professionals who study the problem or self appointed experts? As dentists, we give you our advice but if the population chooses not to take it, we will still fill and remove your rotting teeth and charge you for it.

And then you complain how expensive dentistry is. Poor Tauranga, still hasn't seen the obvious.

Dr Graeme Lynam, Matua

Thanks

Over the weekend of 16/17 March, we held at Mount Maunganui, our family reunion. All of the 80 attendees, were from out of the area, 26 from Australia.

As you can imagine this entailed a great deal of planning and we would like to thank the following people, through your paper, for making our family reunion so successful.

Firstly, Beachside Holiday Park, Mark and his team were great in ensuring that everything was done to help us by accommodating most of the family at Beachside and also by arranging for us to use a couple of sites to erect our marquee.

They could not have done more for us. Secondly Tauranga Party Hire also were so helpful to us and nothing was a problem.

Last, but by no means least, Mount Maunganui New World. Just on a whim I emailed Alan to see if they would do our catering for the 80 people who were attending.

New World was fantastic and the food was simply superb, fresh, beautifully presented and tons of it. I would encourage any of your readers to use this service as they were brilliant. Thanks so much Alan and your team. We chose Mount Maunganui, as two of my brothers holiday there each year and so we thought it would be a good venue for everyone to gather - which turned out to be the right choice.

Also to Bonnie from St Mary's Church Administration who was on standby with the hiring of the church, if the weather turned bad. She was so good letting us make a decision at the last minute. Thanks so much to the people of Mount Maunganui for making our reunion such a success.

Sue Mason, Paraparaumu Beach