Letters: Tauranga city councillor Andrew Hollis should be given a chance

Councillor Andrew Hollis at the first meeting of the newly elected Tauranga City Council. Photo / File

Your two-page article (News, October 21) giving publicity to people calling for Andrew Hollis (whom I have never met) to stand down before he legally takes office shows disrespect for the election process.

It also highlights another sad point wherein your same issue supplied the official results of the elections which no longer records the vote numbers for each candidate, it simply says elected or excluded.

Fortunately your article quotes Hollis as saying he received 7000 votes.

As the criticism relates to comments on social media presumably those 7000 either knew or could of have known what your article quoted.

Surely the guy should be given a chance? It's what he does in the future which really counts.

Similarly it is, in my opinion, inappropriate for our new Mayor to call for Hollis' resignation, which I note he has since withdrawn.

Further, you quote the new Race Relations Commissioner saying Maori are claiming what is rightfully theirs but only getting 1 per cent of their land back. That is strange. I thought all settlements had some cash involved which gives Maori freedom to buy or not buy land.

Overall we seem to have a hyped-up and largely misguided society supported by a media which loves to take people down.

All the best, Andrew.

Bill Capamagian
Tauranga

Heed these important words

I cannot recall the name of the person who first said these important words, and I probably haven't got them verbatim anyway, but this is basically how they go: "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it".

For some reason, Andrew Hollis seems to have been excluded this courtesy.

Now why would that be?

M V Newman
Mount Maunganui

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz