Letters to the editor: Don't forget Jesus

Jesus is the reason for the season, a reader points out. Photo / Getty Images

I liked Sonya Bateson's column about the Christmas season (Editorial, December 1).

She described very well the lovely things this time includes, such as the lighted Christmas tree, the giving and receiving of presents, the family fun and the feeling of togetherness, etc. It was well told.

All of these are important and, possibly for the majority of us Kiwis, they are the most important aspects. But Christians, while still delighting in these lovely feelings and traditions, also celebrate a far more important aspect of Christmas: the coming into this world of the saviour, Jesus Christ.

They see this as a major turning point in human history - God himself coming into our world as the baby Jesus. A major turning point because in manhood he died as a perfect sin-bearing sacrifice, to save all who believe in Him from sin's penalty and power. And that, for us Christians, is a far greater cause for rejoicing than all the other delightful aspects about Christmas which Sonya mentions.
Don Campbell Gate Pa

What a joke that city councillors might swallow the results of a 400-resident poll on the veracity and "willingness to pay" for a proposed museum and library.

At the time of local government reorganisation in 1989/91, what used to be the Devonport City Council issued unpalatable 10-year rate increases based on what staff said the ratepayers needed. This created a huge uproar and a costed programme, service, capital expenditure, infrastructure, user-friendly model was created and put to a referendum of ratepayers.

The results were astonishing. All the things that small-group lobbyists wanted were ditched and it clearly indicated that what people wanted and what they were prepared to pay for was roading, wastewater, water, reserves and a library. That is what the council of the day ran with.

The message was, stick to your knitting and forget the vocal minority.

Tauranga ratepayers deserve to know exactly what is considered. The council must have a record of all museum pieces. Please allow the public to view that information.
Maureen J Anderson Pyes Pa