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:
Council's 'fun police' suck life out of Tauranga
Re: Letter of the Week, "No events for anyone."
Well said, Rachael Hepburn, I agree 100 per cent - the whole fun aspect of living in Tauranga/Mount Maunganui is gradually being taken away bit by bit.
At this rate there will be weekend festivals on The Strand to see who has the best and fastest mobility scooter! The fun police are well and truly resident in Tauranga City Council.
Neil MacLeod, Tauranga
Improve the city
Re: Letter of the Week, "No events for anyone."
"Tauranga City Council is run by a bunch of old people who only know how to please people 60-years plus," wrote one reader in a letter to the editor.
Do you think Tauranga is "happening" enough for young people?
Here's the thing: It's not about whether or not Tauranga is happening enough. If there are great people in this country looking to improve something that is already good, we should be encouraging, supporting and embracing these people.
Concluding the city is good "enough" implies it's not looking to improve itself and I'm sure that is not what Tauranga is all about.
Shilton Smith, Napier
Teen boredom
Re: Letter of the Week, "No events for anyone."
Really, what is there for Tauranga teenagers to do these days? Movies? Bowling? Rock climbing?
They are all quite pricey, often out of reach of teenagers' budgets.
Yes, there are a handful of things to do in this grey-powered town but there definitely needs to be more activities/facilities to cater for the up-and-coming population.
Cancelling organised events are not the way to go. Being a teenager I would much rather go to an event like the paint party than be at some random house party saturated with drunks, drugs and fighting. Tauranga City Council really needs to have a look at what's really happening out there.
I can tell you it's not pretty and not beneficial for Tauranga.
Tyrone Bigumms, Tauranga
Abrupt council
Re: Council cancels Illuminate Paint Party.
I think it's really unfair that the paint party got cancelled.
We get told 12 hours before the actual event.
People's non-refundable accommodation had been booked, clothes and tickets had been bought, also people had already travelled to Tauranga the night before just for this event.
Tauranga City Council should have brought this problem up a long time ago - not the day before the paint party.
It was a safe, supervised environment for over-16s to have some fun.
(Abridged.)
Teana Christensen, Whakatane
Hungry police
The amount of taxpayer money spent by some of police officers on expenses makes interesting reading. One officer managed to rack up $21,612, of which $276 was spent on two visits to Domino's Pizza.
For $276 he would have been able to purchase 31 large pizzas, or 40 servings of pasta with feta cheese and sundried tomatoes.
It's obviously hungry work chasing villains.
Roly Hammond, Matua
E-book initiative
Re: Tauranga libraries to offer e-book downloads.
This is great. It appears to be cost-neutral at worst and profitable at best. I want to hear the council telling us why - not why not - for all the initiatives presented to it. There is always a reason why we have to hold back, spend nothing and generally be negative about our community.
Let's encourage the good ideas and opportunities in Tauranga that enthusiastic and imaginative people bring to our community.
Bronwyn Jackson, Tauranga
Thanks, insurers
With the ash cloud grounding Qantas flights I was recently stuck in Australia. Thanks to my travel insurance (well done, Tower) I was able to cover the extra three days' accommodation and a flight back with Air New Zealand yesterday at the full economy flight fare.
Today I received a new state-of-the-art television when my original could not be repaired after three months. Thanks to Samsung for exceeding their warranty obligations under the extended warranty (insurance).
Roy Edwards, Tauranga
Text Views
* No, airguns should NOT b available without police approval.
* BB guns, over 21 no convictions then should b able 2 apply 4 licence. But shoot a cat and exp the full force of the law
* I presume the 75 protesters on Mount beach walked home. GS
* 75 people opposing oil exploration is hardly an endorsement against this activity and hardly worth a mention in a newspaper. Give us real news!!
* Wunda how mny ova green greenies drive a gas guzzler
* We hav a bit of a skirmish at a rugby league game an cops ariv - 7 bulyz atak 1 girl in class, gess wot, headmistres haz mre power dan da Police sak her
* Re new R H rule simple when crossing centre line You Give Way end of story Peter
* Oh grt an extra 1000 drunk, stoned, violent foul mouthed youth. Prove its not a rerun of matua tennis, racecourse & 4th Av. Pretty bad track record and always someone else to take the blame
* "Clan concerns" BOP times. 29.6.11. Mr Perry Harlen. people with attitudes like yours promote separatism. go home if you dont like it. south africa maybe.
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