Editor
Bay of Plenty Times.

Dear Editor, 

To think that my family Iived in CHCH for so many years and I was a councillor in local government for much of that time, I cannot comprehend what has happened again to our beautiful garden city.

For such evil orchestrated actions to have involved Dunedin and CHCH is such an evil, suffocating tragic event for people to endure. For so many to be shot dead in 2 mosques in the same city is something we all have to come to grips with. This can never happen again and we citizens have to ensure that it doesn’t. It does not matter which city we live in that memorable quote “When good men stay silent evil prevails”, it is over to we men and women to make sure gun laws are reformed- tightened; every child should be loved and educated to ensure a fulfilling life as a global citizen; the work that our Maori wardens do to help our young should be respected and helped; Immigration laws should be checked and tightened; our housing regulations must change so people can afford to live here; our homeless must be housed.

​We have overdue work to do.

Margaret Murray-Benge

The Elms - Tauranga City Council Public Forum 
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I stand before you to urge your support for the Mayor and the three Councillors (Cr Robson, Stewart and Brown) who asked you to honour the past and transfer 11 Mission Street to the Elms.
That was the original intention when that property was purchased by Tauranga Council in 2009.  It was quite explicitly understood at that time that 11 Mission Street would be transferred to the Elms, but the transfer was never actioned.

I have asked myself in light of this present debate why anyone should care what you decide.  But the answer is clear. The Elms is an historical living treasure that is unique to the whole of New Zealand, not just Tauranga.

Previous Mayors and Councillors have acknowledged this national treasure, and have supported its survival and maintenance and invested accordingly.  When Rev Brown settled here with his family even before the Treaty was signed, his family endured major traumas, but they never gave up on their vision to create a centre where everyone was welcomed in peace.  So began in harmony European culture being shared with local Maori.

The Elms is still a living museum loved by all those young and older, of every race and culture.
I know how much Western Bays’ Katikati boutique museum is treasured, and 11 Mission Street could be equally valued as a boutique museum.  It is a critical part of the Elms, linking to an historic military cemetery too.

So ownership should be transferred directly to the Elms.  Transferring it to a trust makes no sense at all. I therefore urge you to reconsider your previous decision and transfer the ownership directly to the Elms.

Future generations of New Zealanders will be grateful to you, and so too will be your ratepayers.  We are a young country and preserving our past treasures is our responsibility.

If there is a dispute as to who owes whom from the past, that is for the Government to resolve not the ratepayers of this city, as indeed successive Governments have been doing over the last three decades.  

It is totally inappropriate for ratepayers to take on the responsibility of providing compensation for the alleged sins of the past.  

For the sake of the memory of Rev Brown and his family, and for the sake of today’s ratepayers in Tauranga City, it is imperative that you Councillors use your common sense and transfer the ownership of 11 Mission Street to the Elms without delay.   

That was the intention in 2009: we should wait no longer.

​Margaret