Letters: Rotorua Stadium booking fee should be scrapped

Rotorua International Stadium. Photo/File

Charges for Bay of Plenty games are advertised in local paper and on the radio at $20.

However at the gate the ticket issuers ask for another $2.

Is this false advertising or an imposition by the ticket companies?

The $2 is for a booking fee. This has been added when people buy tickets downtown beforehand.

When paying $20 cash at the gate on match day this should be the only charge.
The same thing happened for Warriors' recent game in Rotorua and the Tuhoe festival.

Maybe sports bodies should do their own gates admission.
(Abridged)

Alan Lord
Rotorua

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Archaic tradition

In James Ford's column (Opinion, April 30) he, generally, talks down the institution of monarchy.

He suggests that they are "a distraction" and that "surely we've grown out of bowing and curtsying to the royal family"

"We"? That's something few of us have to opportunity to do. But, he also concedes that he "will tune in to" the upcoming royal wedding despite his assertion that "royal weddings.. .have become...tedious" so appears somewhat confused.

He asks, "Why do we still adhere to the archaic tradition of a monarchy?"

The answer, in my view, is in the question: It is an archaic tradition.

Additionally, the royal family is a focus for Britain and the commonwealth. It draws much needed attention to important issues and causes and generate a vast amount of tourist income.

If they are a distraction Mr Ford, and you don't seem too sure, ignore them. They do no harm.

William Wright
Glenholm

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Anzac memorials

The 103rd anniversary of Anzac Day was one of the best memorial services I have attended.

Grateful thanks to Mandy Godo and her team from the Rotorua Lakes Council.

Right from the opening, with the beautiful voice of such a young singer Lauren Thompson singing On Flanders Fields, I knew this was going to be a special service - and it was.

When guest speaker Brigadier General Ian Thorpe, CBE OF MSD, shared those two stories with such emotion, I'm sure mine weren't the only tears to escape.

Olivia Temm, drama captain at John Paul College, also moved me with her well written speech focusing on the World War I theme, "Darkness Before the Dawn".

Other speakers also added their reflective thoughts, and with the ambience of the old Sports Drome building, it was very moving.

I also thought the Western Heights choir, lead by Evelyn Falconer, was a beautiful way to end a very memorable service.

To all the service men and service women marching or attending, a proud day for you also to know that you are not forgotten.

Pauleen Wilkinson
Rotorua

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