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
Fighting dogs on the loose
Recently I went for my usual walk with my well-behaved border collie, only to find a cross-bred and, dare I say fighting, dog with no collar on the loose.
So I turned around and crossed the road, went the other way, then went down another road to have yet another dog - a black pit bull this time, with a big studded collar - race down its driveway, snarling, teeth showing.
I honestly thought this was the end for my dog but luckily he is not aggressive.
So when can I even walk the streets safely? I normally walk earlier in the morning to avoid this but I did not go out until 9am, and I guess these owners then get up, let the dog out and that's it.
Why do we have these fighting dogs? What sort of people really want to own a terrible dog like this?
We are not even safe to walk on the streets anymore. Sad but true. You also see them at the park unmuzzled - all the legislation in the world won't change it.
We have to rid the country of these fighting dogs. Our kids are not safe even in parks. What can we do?
(Abridged.)
Margaret Foster, Tauranga
Pipi bed dredging
An appeal against the dredging of 15 million cubic metres of sediment from our harbour began in the Environment Court this week.
Led by local iwi, this is a brave attempt to stand in the way of the Port of Tauranga and Environment Bay of Plenty.
As a starting point, when you read "sediment" you should envisage pipi beds. For generations this bed has fed the people who live around our harbour. Tauranga Moana is still known and valued for its pipi, a symbol of our hospitality. Suddenly Maketu is looking a more likely choice for gathering.
After you get your head around "sediment", you can turn your attention to "dredging". Think of the care for wildlife shown by boys collecting buckets of sand for their sand castles at the Mount, and you'll get an appreciation of the environmental effort the Port of Tauranga is going to put into looking after pipi beds.
Finally, spare a thought for the mataitai reserve around the Mount that is in place to encourage the renewal of paua and mussels. Because that is where all that sand is going to be discarded.
I suspect iwi will lose this Environment Court hearing. Unfortunately, that's not all we are all about to lose.
Graham Cameron, Merivale
Mercury danger
Re: Crematorium (News, April 5).
There is another important reason for opposing the additional Pyes Pa crematorium - namely, mercury pollution.
Most adults currently between age 45 and 75 have up to 5g of mercury in their average of 10 large dental amalgam fillings. Notably, 1000 cremations per year would release about 5kg of toxic mercury into the surrounding neighbourhood.
This amount is consistent with published European findings where environmental legislation is currently being debated to require amalgam extraction prior to cremation. The ethical, medico-legal and societal implications are considerable as has been voiced in Britain and Scandinavia.
Amalgam is registered as a hazardous material both prior to use and after removal as scrap metal, but apparently by some alchemy most dentists still believe it to be harmless when in a living person's tooth despite mercury causing dementia, hypertension and other chronic illnesses to which crematorium workers are at notably increased risk.
M Godfrey, (Retired director, International Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology), Tauranga
Parking meters
The CBD has many enticements. Examples include the city art gallery, the transit bus terminal which brings people in from all suburbs, the free bus on Saturday campaign at the end of last year, boardwalks, fountains and extensive cafe frontages on Wharf St, all upgraded and maintained at the council's expense.
And there is a denser proportion of office workers.
According to some of your contributors, installing parking meters in the village shopping areas of Mount Maunganui and Greerton would create a level playing field for the city retailer. How myopic.
All retailers are suffering at this time. It may be comforting to see the greener grass on the other side of the fence but there are advantages and disadvantages in every area.
I consider that parking meters in the smaller council-owned business areas would cost more to manage than could be earned. If installed, retailers would then be disadvantaged by the lack of assets and enticements the CBD currently enjoys.
Cherie Luxton, Papamoa
Pointless designs
It appears the designer of the back-up cooling system for the Fukushima nuclear reactor complex has escaped Japan and been let loose here in Tauranga.
In these economically straightened times, it is astonishing to see some of the pointless and counter-productive concrete structures being dumped in the middle of our streets. They can only be the result of radiation exposure to the brain.
A few months ago, speed humps and pedestrian refuges were put in a quiet little backwater in Maungatapu. I am told the total cost of this was $20,000.
No one in the street can understand why a pedestrian refuge is needed for someone to cross our street and then step over the bank into oblivion. More recently, another so called refuge has popped up in the turning bay to Kaitemako Rd. This turning bay is used by at least 100 large truck and trailer units a day heading up to the quarry. Vexatious at best and at worst a malicious misuse of ratepayers' money.
Ross W Ogle, Tauranga
Text views
* Wot a shocking waste of money and insult to maori. Why not put the waka from whale rider on the harbour. The world loved that film so why not use that instead of a plastic nonfantastic monster.
* New zealand invited to have boat at the queens 60th Anniversay what a 2 million dollar waka that dosent float and this country cant afford get a grip it wont even float waste of good money to the wrong people again
* re tsunami warnings - does everyone sleep with their mobile switched on? Mine would be off. Although i live by the beach i do think this is a local issue for those choosing to live here. Council is already doing too many things that are not core business with my rates - i pay TCC and WBOP rates.
* The Mayor is proving how flaky he actually is!! Re the Mt sirens he has now had a complete change of heart after only 10 plus years of opposing sirens.
* I cnt 4 the life of me figure out y there r no sirens. Obvsly mre need placing afta the failure of the last xrcise.
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