YOUR VIEW: Letters to the Editor

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS:
Trio mine will ensure quality of life drops
Re: Emotion high over Trio mine proposal (bayofplentytimes.co.nz).
Mining affects the whole community but only a relative few prosper from it, we will all suffer if the tailings dam is hit by an unexpected earthquake.
People in Christchurch can now testify that living with your house shaking daily is frightening, the loss of quality of life impossible to describe to anyone who has not experienced it for themselves.
The Trio project is going to further encroach into our residential community, houses difficult enough to sell without having the perception that the ground beneath it is being hollowed out, particularly since Waihi has already had one home fall into old mine workings.
If the mine were to purchase all the properties it affected, this and all their local mining operations would be fully supported by the community but instead they expect us all to take a loss so they can make a quid to send offshore to their investors.
COLLETTE SPALDING Waihi

Get rid of Greatbatch
What a Greatbatch of players we've got. Or should it read we have a Batch of Great Players. Our cricketers have once again failed, now losing 11 one-day games in a row. They are like a yacht in the southern ocean, first of all without a keel, they just keep rolling over and secondly without a rudder they don't know where to turn next.
I will start with our coach Mark Greatbatch. Since he took over as coach our team have gone from bad to worse and there are no obvious signs to say we are going to get any better. I keep asking myself what credentials has Greatbatch got to be coach of our national team, I say none.
He was never, in my mind, a good cricketer, he scored the odd century but he was a big hitter that sometimes came off, he certainly wasn't an elegant player with lovely fluent shots.
I blame NZ Cricket for this debacle as they are the ones who put Greatbatch there. Get real NZ Cricket and sack the current coach if he doesn't voluntarily resign like he should.
BRIAN HELY Omokoroa

Police minister is right
I read with some sadness about the attack on a lone constable after stopping a car. Yes, it was an appalling situation, as are all attacks on police, and should be punished in the harshest possible way.
The real sadness I had was to read the remarks regarding the routine arming of police by Greg O'Connor.
It is of course possible that these scum might have taken a weapon from the constable and shot him. A far worse outcome.
Apparently the New South Wales Government is reconsidering the question of routinely arming police.
In one seven-year period, 41 people were shot in Australia by police, mainly in public places. I applaud the police minister for acting rationally in this situation and her call for calm and rational thought.
ROY EDWARDS Tauranga

Bill could split country
Re Kapai's Corner, Dec 13. I always enjoy reading Kapai's Corner as Tommy is very sensible and down to earth.
This time he comments on the select committee hearing on the Foreshore and Seabed bill. He states that the four final non-Maori presenters were very racist in their views.
Isn't the whole proposed legislation basically racist ?
In the eyes of the majority of New Zealanders (whether they have read the bill or not ) it is legislation that could pass the ownership of our beaches and foreshore after due legal process to a small select group of New Zealanders.
The question asked repeatedly is: "Why should a small percentage of the population be permitted the right to own what is in fact currently owned by all New Zealanders and (possibly) stop general access to these areas?"
There is very little chance, however, that this small percentage of the population will be able to produce documented proof that they traditionally occupied these areas.
It is interesting to note that iwi throughout the land are opposed to this bill as they can see that there would be a horrendous cost to them if they decided to go through due legal process to obtain ownership of these areas.
Pita Sharples has stated over and over again "We are one country and one people" but this legislation, if passed into law, could split the country wide open.
(Abridged)
ROGER BAILEY Papamoa Beach

No WoF, no petrol
It is too easy for people not to register their vehicles.
If the situation was that they could not purchase fuel at a petrol station without a current WoF and registration I wonder how many more vehicles would be made legal.
What would the extra dollars be that the Government would collect, also the ACC content? Perhaps this may help keep the costs of registration down and also the Government could employ - or subsidise - the employment of extra staff at petrol stations to inspect vehicles to ensure they were current.
Worth a thought.
M WELSH Mount Maunganui

Crosby needs to go
I observed a short media report last week regarding TCC about to breach the 250 per cent debt ratio protocol.
The only options available are to stop spending on essential infrastructure or dramatically increase rates, probably by the proposed 17.8 per cent.
All this has resulted from overspending on overpriced "did not need to haves" approved by past councils.
Mayor Stuart Crosby undertook at the election mayoral debates to hold the rates increase to 7 per cent next year so where is the promised in-depth council staff report? Mayor Crosby's put-down of those who had the courage to persist with pointing out the correct financial position with appropriate warnings has backfired and the critics have been completely vindicated.
Just two months after the TCC elections, and one month after the first TCC meeting, we now have these revelations. Mayor Crosby, his disciples and the TCC spin-doctors need to go. We need a local government commissioner appointed immediately. Just shipping Mayor Crosby off to local government NZ meetings to try and learn something new on funding issues won't solve the problem.
TCC's creative accounts might get an 'A' rating but the financials rate a 'D' for dismal. (Abridged)
R PATERSON Matapihi
TEXT VIEWS:
* 14 and 18 yr old should b charged with attempted murder on policeman. assault was never their intention!
* I guarantee that perpetrators of all these UNBELIEVABLE acts of outrageous violence and cruelty will be P users. POISONOUS like no other drug!
* 2 the person from northcross northshore auckland we have a photo of u from 2 boxs of rubbish u dumpd in calypso dr on morning of14dec
* ANIMAL CRUELTY-Wat the hell is going on!Cats paws amutated frm gun shots n gin traps-puppy ears cut off-dog burnd 2 death-seals club 2 death.Gt these people ..NOW
* Thank you to the nice man that helped my wife when her MG car broke down at hairini lights last night. We need more folk like you about. Alan.