Common sense
I take exception to Peter Dey's description: "People signing a petition against Maori wards
are amazingly voting to spend $70,000 to support an unfair voting system" (Letters, January 20).
In my opinion, the only people costing the ratepayers $70,000 are the Western Bay of Plenty councillors who voted for this as opposed to the fair system of voting for the candidates one thinks will do the best for the community. This was totally undemocratic in my opinion, and if this was in the pipeline previously, it should have been attached to the voting forms at election time so it could be sorted once and for all.
There is no need for separate Maori wards on councils, it would add to the cost of council matters and as we are the most expensive district to reside in, let's have some common sense.
Merle Bray
Omokoroa
Serious problem
I agree wholeheartedly with Wendy Galloway's letter about drivers using mobile phones (Letters, January 23). One only need to stand at the pedestrian crossing in Katikati for a few minutes to see drivers using phones.
There is no single group who stands out. There are truck drivers of all ages, mothers with toddlers in the car, young and certainly old enough to know better.
I would suggest that New Zealand takes a lead and introduces a really meaningful deterrent. For instance, upon a second offence, the phone is confiscated and the sim card destroyed. this might make some people think twice. The butcher's bill will continue to mount until the Government takes this problem seriously.
Euan Neil
Katikati
