Letters to the editor: Tauranga rubbish decision takes wrong path

A reader hopes the commission will decide against the council's kerbside bin service. Photo / File

How is it possible to legitimately compare an overseas market and rubbish collection system with pricing and factors here in New Zealand? (Opinion, January 12)

I note that Mr Fellingham's comparisons do not cover the continual rates increases that are already in effect even before the proposed system is put in place.

I hope that the commission overrules the ridiculous assumption that we all need this collection method.

It seems just another time that the council has taken the wrong path, to meet the needs of a few, rather than the greater populace.

Dare I mention roading failures such as Greerton, CBD et al.

In regard to the accuracy of the feedback pertaining to majorities in favour or against such projects, I ask where is the hard proof as to what the ratepayers want?

Many folk don't participate, in my opinion, knowing from past dealings that the council takes a "we'll do it anyway" approach.

Janet Drake
Tauranga

No sign of signs

Monday should have been a big day for some Ōhauiti residents. January 18 and the clearly confusing old "R" rural numbering system is gone. We change address by decree.

It appears fire, police and ambulance drivers and others found simply specifying the distance from the beginning of the road to produce the first two numbers of the address too confusing. For example, 520 Ohauiti Rd is 5.2 kilometres from the beginning.

So from now from Adler Cres up, we are a new number on "Upper Ohauiti Rd".

Split from just Ōhauiti, I assume at midnight, I was looking forward to being "Upper" on Monday morning. I visited the junction to see the new sign and it was not there.

I returned to my home, which luckily I found, and used the world-famous search engine, and guess what, it is not there also. Maps revealed nothing as well.

I can, of course, take the reassurance the council will yet again "get things right" with the numbering system, as it said in a statement.

But with no sign of a sign, no sign of a direction, at least we have cleared things up.

The chip-brand tag line springs to mind, "Ah McCain you have done it again".

Richard Ive
Somewhere in Tauranga
[Abridged]

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