Letters to Editor: Our lack of amenities

In reply to the letter from Bob Braid, Australia. Are you sure it is agents putting off people visiting Napier?
Have you considered it is the appalling lack of amenities which is causing that problem?
Experience that by coming into Napier yourself by bus and that gives a much clearer picture.
The fact of visitors and bus passengers sitting on an open seat unprotected from the weather and they get soaked (or sun, or wind burnt) as does their luggage; no toilets or restroom or security to check in bags; covered in dust and debris by passing buses and local traffic.
Money is spent on trivial things such as statues but visitors do NOT matter. It is past time the council and bus companies got things sorted and stopped blaming each other for this problem or passing the buck as it has dragged on for years as it is.
Under the present circumstances, people would be advised to stop at Hastings instead.
Lyn Allan, Taradale
One Big City support
All credit to Denyse Watkins for coming out in support of the amalgamation of Hastings and Napier. Denyse's years as a Napier City councillor will be remembered for her unapologetic parochial dedication to Napier.
She has now publicly said she has changed her tune. That takes courage and magnanimity and such qualities will be needed in force, particularly in Napier if we are to create One Big City from the two little ones that have fought each other for 130 years.
All the experts say that big cities create the most jobs and wealth and, in simple terms, that means more teachers, doctors and businesses. Overnight, we could, if we thought positively, create an instant city almost the size of Dunedin. All the things we love about Hawke's Bay - the streets, the buildings, the beaches do not have to change. We just get the advantages of scale.
Taradale and Havelock Nth have not lost their character through amalgamation with Napier and Hastings, they have flourished.
No one would want a situation where the ratepayers of Napier City paid higher rates because of the debts of Hastings district.
That would just not happen. It could easily be built into the amalgamation arrangement.
It is scaremongering and ignorance to think otherwise.Guy WellwoodHavelock NorthVote for STVI would like to let Karl Gorringe know that there is a lot more to STV than listing the candidates in preference. There is the transfer of your vote both in the case of surplus and on elimination so that no matter what happens your preferred candidate your vote continues to count and influence the final outcome.
This system will not be explained by the Government because it does not suit them.
I urge everyone to read up on STV and to vote for it come the referendum.
Sid McCann, Napier