Re: ‘We don't want Auckland's refugees' (The Weekend Sun, December 30). Please don't judge the warmth of your Tauranga welcome by the intemperate outburst of one local curmudgeon. Consider him as you might an aging family pet, whose barking is well intentioned but often misdirected. To me, the newbies are welcome and I'm content to judge you, not by your city of origin, but by your contribution to our community. Certainly our infrastructure is stretched by city growth, but isn't that just the natural cost of having a very desirable place to live? I believe the biggest issue we face continues to be the equitable division of resources, so all citizens can enjoy a ‘fair shake of the dice'.

P Dawson, Ohauiti.