I read the article by Hunter Wells in last week's issue describing the visit to the interesting Tauranga Museum collection which is kept in storage in an anonymous warehouse (The Weekend Sun, July 24).

I agree with Hunter that it is scandalous to keep all these items locked away when they could be put on display for the public of Tauranga to enjoy. Even sadder is the Councils reluctance to allow visits to the collection, because they are concerned that better knowledge could generate increased support for the museum project. The artefacts in the collection should not be treated as a political pawn – they are a significant cultural and educational asset to the District, and deserve much wider appreciation.

Many people in Tauranga regret that we do not have a Museum to put the stored collection on display. If we don't do something, it will remain locked away for many years to come, unseen and unappreciated .

There has to be an alternative to the Council's short-sighted attitude – at least put some of the museum artefacts on public display in a series of temporary exhibitions in the Art Gallery, so the public has a chance to see and appreciate them.

P Nixon, Tauranga