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
Short stroll on Strand better than tedious hike
Concerning The Strand businesses being under threat, our council needs to pull its head in. It wants people to come to our city but on the other hand it wants to make life hard as well.
I have been to The Strand on many occasions and the last thing I want to do is walk for miles just to have dinner with my family. That is what would happen - or I would go somewhere else for dinner.
I don't know where Mayor Stuart Crosby thinks there is plenty of parking once these parks go. He is dreaming.
I travel these roads every day and it's very rare to see an empty park on the streets day or night - not close parks anyway.
Lindsay Aplin, Welcome Bay
Action at long last
I am absolutely delighted that the bar and restaurant owners are finally getting together to do something about their businesses. This is something they should have done long ago.
They are continually having rules and regulations foisted on them by people in the council who know nothing about their business, evinced by their previous inaction. There are countless things they could do to make businesses more successful and safer for the town and public.
They could also save themselves a lot of money and effort if they were to get together and formulate some kind of cohesive voluntary action instead of being puppets of the Tauranga City Council.
I hope this parking thing which has finally got them together is only the first of many such strategic meetings.
Ideas such as voluntary or co-ordinated lock-ins and reward and incentive cards and memberships could be used to entice punters to stay in the bars and not cause trouble on the streets.
Tell the council what you are going to do before they tell you how to run your businesses.
Graham Clark, Lower Kaimai
Best view of all
I have always thought it a sin that the cars have the best views in town. Towns and cities lucky enough to be beside a beautiful body of water should appreciate their assets and use them for the public good.
If there are parking issues they should be dealt with, but not at the expense of our city's most beautiful asset.
While making plans to change the carpark into a place of leisure let's keep in mind the possibility of one day losing the train tracks so we can have a safe meander from shops to waterfront.
It seems that every few years somebody comes up with ideas to upgrade this area, the council does some concept plans - at a cost - and every few years the plans are shut down.
Why is it that a few negative letter writers win the day and we are left with a status quo which is just not good enough?
Recently, the same complainers about this latest idea pushed for the general public to lose their footpath on The Strand so that bar owners could gain a better profit.
It appears that it is these same businesses looking out for themselves again, at the cost of the general public and their needs.
Let us ensure something we can be proud of grows on this valuable area.
Diana Hellyer, Tauranga
Wealth in oil
Your correspondent Mr O'Reilly (Your View, March 12) makes a huge claim about the possible benefits of having smaller towns and cities.
I can imagine there is a possibility that smaller communities might have some good effects in relation to social issues.
However, to say that Norway has a decentralisation policy and that as a result enjoys a higher standard of living is an enormous leap.
Might not its oil wealth be a more reasonable suggestion?
E G Abel, Tauranga
Planning vital
May I say I do enjoy the new format of Saturday's paper.
However, regarding the article about Prime Minister John Key slagging the news reporter in Britain for saying that World Cup Rugby should not be held in Christchurch, one would hope that, as the leader of our country, Mr Key should be very well aware of risk management.
I see no risk management in the "let's wait for a report" and "we don't have a plan B as we prefer plan A".
Let's hope that the rugby administrators have a more pragmatic view of what is happening and have a definite plan B.
To move a major event needs as much lead time as possible - it is not a five-minute job.
On this occasion, I must say, shame on you Prime Minister.
Roy Edwards, Tauranga
Act now, not later
Dame Susan Devoy's recent excellent article on the Alcohol Bill (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend March 5), reiterated the thoughts of thousands of New Zealanders who are obviously frustrated and disgusted with the present laws pertaining to alcohol availability and consequent abuse.
Her strong message to the Minister of Justice to act now, not later, to put some sensible and logical laws in place to rectify the problem must not be ignored.
The ridiculous situation of liquor licences being approved like fishing licences, teenagers openly consuming "top shelf" liquor in cans with 9 per cent plus alcohol content and bars open until 3am or later (surely should close at 1am), is it any wonder that young people are in a drunken stupor most Friday and Saturday nights.
If rumours are correct the Government is not prepared to adopt any of the Select Committee's recommendations from the 153 items listed until after the Rugby World Cup.
Sorry Mr Key, but this can't wait and is really far more important with young lives being lost in road deaths every week.
As a suggestion why not adopt a minimum age limit for both alcohol availability and driving licences. Twenty is a good round figure. I am sure the police would be delighted.
Neville Dixon, Papamoa Beach
Text Views
* how is it a soldier allowed to be a member of the greasy dogs mc gang ?!! good one bringing the service into disrepute. j campbel
* 3 strikes unfair on maori? Wot a crock. If they dont like it, dont break the law. Wot about unfairness 2 the victims. No mention of that.
* Regarding the strand parking cut-surely its a good thing as it seems N Z is one of the few countries that has car parking in or around public bars-doesnt it encourage drink driving?pedestrianise the entire strand! J lawson
* There's not enuf car parking in CBD now. Waterfront needs updating but taking parks away without replacement will kill the centre.
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