The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
Check with schools over fundraising
In response to the Letter of the Week from Roy Edwards (Sep 19) about students seeking donations for their schools.
On
behalf of fellow colleagues I would strongly suggest that recipients of such door knockers request proof and verification of identity from these students who should also provide, in writing, the purpose of their fundraising.
At our school, if we seek fundraising, it is usually in the form of "athons" or selling cookies to help support our students attending outdoor education activities. In each case every student has identification and written authority from our school to show prospective donors so they can be assured that these are genuine fundraising activities. If students knock on your door "begging for money for their schools" they will not be genuine and are trying to elicit funds for themselves only. Please do not give them any money. Do ring their supposed schools so it can be dealt with. Very sadly these unscrupulous few are letting some schools down by their dishonesty.
As principals we do have principles and do abhor the fact that one or two dishonest students may be destroying the credibility of our schools.
Anne Mackintosh, Principal, Greerton Village School
History lesson
While I don't agree with Margaret Mutu's recently reported comments on immigration it really bothers me reading all the overtly racist letters written by those who oppose her ideas. To generalise one person's comments as representative of a whole race is just basic ignorance.
To Mary Brooks in particular: I think if you research NZ history you will find overwhelmingly that trade, co-operation and intermarriage was far more common in the early days between Pakeha settlers and Maori, than cannibalism and hostility.
While undertaking family history research over the past few years this spirit of co-operation and working together is what I have come across more than anything else. I have read many times that Auckland couldn't have been established in the 1840s without the food grown and supplied by the local Maori market gardeners. I know members of my own family had help from their Maori neighbours in the Nelson district while trying to establish a farm in the 1880s. And if you go on the Papers Past website and read the old NZ newspapers dating back to 1839 you'll find quite a few of our early Pakeha forebears weren't behaving so saintly as the court reports will attest.
I can highly recommend the late historian Michael King's fantastic History of New Zealand if you would like to better educate yourself on the subject.
Nicola Bell, Bethlehem
Detour woes
Re closure of road due to accident at Te Puke bridge (News, Sep 15). I was travelling from Hamilton to Matata straights. I'm sure better solutions could've been found than having to make a detour of some two hours through horrendous roads of unknown territory, which left the blind leading the blind. Ending up at Hamurana springs. I travelled five hours all up. There needs to be more consideration and help given to people who are inconvenienced by accidents in this area or similar areas.
Frances Merz, Hamilton
Texts and online comments
* Fanzone - who benefits - busines. Why dont they do somthing? Who wants it - party peple - why not them? Why should council spend my rates 4 this?
* i like da flower dat replaces bambi on da s.african jersey ..lol
* Congratulations to the TCC & the councillors for the splendid effort that they have put into the world cup spirit. Yeah right!!
* Like the site 4 museum but how does it cost $100k when communication through IT is so fast and it could take 4yrs.
* Great to see all NZ cities apart from Tauranga geting behind the world cup. Slack effort from our city leaders.
* Parents with any interest in their childrens reading and education will take them to the library. Yes cheaper to collect people from rest homes and give them a library outing.
* For what we are paying them (over $80000 each pa) far to many councillors away from formal Council meetings.
* why is it that dairies can sell milk so much cheaper than our so called supermkts?
* i def think sex ed has gone 2 far. They teach from wrong perspective. It's more than a brief time of pleasure it can be the start of new life.
* most kids are going to find out through their friends anyway. I learnt about it in the same way back in 98 at intermiediate school
When writing to us, please note the following:
Email: editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz
Text: 021 241 4568 - Please start your message with BOP
The team will hold an open recruitment night on June 26.