Letters to the editor: Reduced tolerance just a cheap tax grab

Police officer with a speed gun. Photo / File

I was appalled to read police are reducing their speed limit tolerance to just 1km/h.

I'm a law-abiding pensioner and to impose that on motorists is nothing but a cheap tax grab. Police must be aware that despite the very best intent, there are the occasion where it is necessary when overtaking to slightly exceed the limit.

The reality is to complete the manoeuvre safely and in as short a space of time as possible.

This new policy is making criminals of your everyday hard-working Kiwis and we have the power to call out the police on this insidious tactic.

Tony Fellingham
Tauranga

It is ironic that the NZ Police will issue a ticket for any driver travelling 1km/h in excess of the posted limit yet we have regular instances of vehicles travelling at more than 100km/h through a 50km/h area.

Neither the police nor the council seem to be able to curb the blatant disregard of the limit at Waipuna Park.

C Olsen
Welcome Bay

Shameful

Rob Rattenbury's take on the End of Life Choice Bill (Opinion, August 24) was, in my view, pretty shameful.

Surely, the kindest thing that can be done for one who is terminally ill is to ease their pain and surround them with loving family and friends, as far as possible, and affirm their value as a member of the human race and their contribution to society.

If the bill is passed, no matter how stringent the limitations are to allow assisted suicide, only a fool would deny that, with time, those limitations will creep and become more liberal. Eventually the terminally ill could be just put down at will, like a sick animal.

That is not a legacy I wish to leave my grandchildren.

Ian Young
Pāpāmoa

Māori ward

It is heartening to see our community leaders adopt a Māori ward to enable a large portion of our electorate to have their own voice in decision-making.

We should not view this as an appointment, instead a constituency just like the other wards represented by an elected member.

Going forward, as the ethnic diversity of our community continues to grow we should look to have other ethnic constituencies represented as wards too.

Russell Wenn
Ōropi

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