Letters to the editor: Maori wards, recycling bottles, Treaty of Waitangi issues

Not everyone agrees with Buddy Mikaere's views on Maori wards. Photo/file

At least try
In your article "Petition forces referendum on wards" (BOP Times, February 15) Buddy Mikaere bemoans that "no one had been in the public arena arguing for Maori wards".

I'm not sure who Mr Makaere thinks should be doing the arguing but I would have thought that this was a job for Maori.

As it has reached the referendum stage, now is the time for Mr Mikaere and other supporters of Maori wards to step up and promote their stance.

It may well be a lost cause, but that is not an excuse for not trying.

If no effort is made then the wider community will consider that Maori really don't care and will simply reinforce the view, held by many, that Maori only want something if it can be bestowed on them and therefore achieved with little effort.

Richard Prince
Welcome Bay

Recycling plan
As I predicted some months ago in these letters, the new recycling plan for bottles would not include a facility in Welcome Bay.

That has proved to be correct as I see the posh suburbs like Bethlehem, the Mount (2) and Papamoa (2) are well looked after.

Still, I am sure the extra traffic from Welcome Bay into the various other locations in town to deposit the bottles will not be noticed by thousands of frustrated commuters.

Not to mention the absence of a supermarket or full postal services here.

Can anyone in the council manage to join up the dots?

I have to say that all the bottles I have deposited in my recycle bin were intact when I put them out. If they reached their destination damaged, that would have to be because of stone age collection procedures by the company concerned.

I am however, looking forward to the refund on my recycle charges as I have a legally binding contract for their service for the next few months. If that is not forthcoming it is bye bye to them.

Maurice Mckeown
Welcome Bay

Treaty issues
Peter Day (Letters, February 26) and his criticism of R E Stephens' magical imagination and statements on Treaty issues beggars belief.

Mr Day's idea of pushing the magical "white guilt" buttons to start cash flow because of injustice caused by us Kiwis.

May I remind Mr Day the life expectancy for Maori at the beginning of the early 1800s was
27 years and life expectancy for Maori is now 77 years.

The allegation that introduction of Maori wards in the Western Bay needs no consultation to us Kiwis has only caused resentment and ill-feeling within the community but what you can do Mr Day is now have a vote on the matter because of fair like-minded Kiwis (Maori and Europeans) who have no use for separatism or race base privileges and will send a message that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable in New Zealand.

Your idea of democracy is certainly different from us Kiwis.

Instead of unifying our country your idea to funnel as much of the public pie into one tribe or circle, stifles innovation and fractures the fabric of our society and why would you want to divide neighbour from neighbour?

Mike Lally
Te Puke