Letters: Aunty Bea greatly missed

Aunty Bea is greatly missed, a reader writes. Photo/File.

Greatly missed

Known to all of Rotorua as Aunty Bea, of all the events in Rotorua of 2018, of our highs and lows, our achievements and personal difficulties and family losses, the one connection we associated with most was Aunty Bea.

So many tributes from the community of her virtues and contribution to us were greatly appreciated. In most situations voluntary.

Education, author of many books for young children and promoting Māori language.

Supporting and raising funds for hospital equipment, entertaining, visiting us in our schools, at times at her own expense.

Providing food for students well before breakfast in schools was publicised.

In the tributes, I did not see mentioned she performed a solo item on the marae at Waitangi for the Queen and Prince Philip. Was it 1972? Maybe.

Her personal attachment to many I must observe the times she always greeted us in the street with a hug and a kiss.

She entertained and welcomed our visitors at times from overseas and on occasion lent one of her costumes for a visitor we had from Japan who wanted to be photographed in a Māori costume.

Exuberant and outgoing, we greatly miss her.

She was vibrant.

Alan Lord
Rotorua

Pink Crossings

Regarding the use of courtesy "pink crossings" Stavros Michael quotes from the Road Code: "drivers are not obliged to stop". (Letters, December 20)

The "stay or go" decision that pedestrians and drivers must quickly resolve differs from standard road rules.

Confusion can occur which puts safety at risk.

Hugh Wilson
Rotorua