Editorial: Council beggars belief

Begging is not a geographical issue, writes Mark Story.

One wonders what it takes to be a legitimate beggar on these shores.

A robust welfare state and armies of salvation on the ground apparently means no one here can justifiably solicit extra cash.

Thing is, to dismiss the act of begging as an organised ruse, as is Napier City Council, is rather graceless.

Napier city councillor Tania Wright wrote an opinion piece on the issue this week that deserved to be headlined "Let them eat cake".

To the councillor, it was "not a good look for a city that once prided itself as a clean, safe, tourist destination ... there is reason to believe they [rabble] are co-ordinated, managed and playing on your generosity ... the other group are homeless and using the money you give them to feed addictions".

The underbellies have obviously forgotten they're underbellies. They've crawled out and made the bourgeoisie blush. What's materialised is a rather uncomfortable proximity to Art Deco decadence.

If I can pun it, council's indelicate handling of its downtrodden beggars belief.

Mayor Bill Dalton added: "Rest assured that the whole of NCC takes this extremely seriously; the last thing we want are beggars and drug addicts on our streets."

Where would you like them, Mr Dalton? The invited inference from council's rhetoric to date is that the issue became one only when the paupers entered the CBD.

While the mayor's comments about agency shortcomings are valid, I'll continue to give loose change to beggars because frankly I fear a world where we means test them first.

Here's to more heart - and less sanitation.