Debate gagged: Letters, 13 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.

Re Pipe Band National Championships.

In Saturday's paper what do we see, yes people complaining about the music at 8.30pm. What is wrong with the people of this city? Someone must have worked hard to get the event in Tauranga, it brought money into the area, yet we have to have moaners. Get a life, for goodness sake, the event was only over three days.

J Stevens, Tauranga

Precedent set?

Well, there we have it, directly from monitoring manager John Payne at the Tauranga City Council: Any "noise" after 8.30pm is to be stopped. So even though the National Pipe Championships and all the good bits for the city as a result of the event seem to be irrelevant, no practising after 8.30pm.

So, now we can rely on Mr Payne and the TCC to enforce the relevant bylaw to prevent any unnecessary "noise" after 8.30pm for all of us ... can we?

Peter Huxham, Welcome Bay

Debate gagged

We have serious problems around the world, due to corrupt and dictatorial governments who use force of arms to have their way.

Here in New Zealand we have a quite different method of control to apply the present Government's hand.

To be precise, I am concerned with the practice that is taking place in the Debating Chamber of the House.

I notice that an opposition member who raises any content worth a reasonable debate is quickly stopped by the Speaker citing one of the many principles of procedure in the House.

This effectively stops any real debate on any subject unworthy of the Government.

I feel this seriously undermines a true democratic process.

Ken Mills, Whakatane

God unrestricted

Thank you for the article by Garth George. I wholly agree with him as to the real church not being restricted to a denomination. Churches can get in the way of God's work by concentrating on doctrine rather than spreading the love of Jesus in positive ways.

To be Christ-centred is not to propound a religion - Jesus showed that when he exposed the religious Jews who were hung up on rituals and feasts - but is to show God's love towards society as a whole, just as Garth said. Isn't it exciting that after over two thousand years the message of the cross has never changed, and is as relevant today as when it was first spread throughout Europe.

B Guernier, Hairini