I fully agree with C Timutimu's letter ‘Blessing waste pipes - really?' (The Sun, August 29) about the blessing ceremony of of the Southern Sewage Pipeline at Matapihi Peninsula.

He's spot on with his statement 'what has the world come to” when you start blessing sewage pipelines. Perhaps there's an analogy here. I agree with him not only is it against Maori protocols but it looks to have been done to appease the Tauranga City Coucil iwi consultation process a politically correct initiative that's spiralling out of control. No doubt some koha payment was involved in this thing.

The pipeline all appears to be on public lands and Mr Timutimu goes on to say the whole Maori community of Matapihi are against this project - why exactly hasn't been explained but Maori have never bothered to support the critics who've for years opposed the scheme on the basis it was financial lunacy, an environmental risk and for all practical purposes quite unnecessary. I'd be interested to learn what the Maori objections were.In addition the Matapihi Ratepayers and Residents Association has squeezed out of TCC the concession to have the capacity to tap into the pipeline.

There's no problem with that on basis it's feasible, safe, the cost is met by MRR and standard connection costs apply.

R Paterson, Matapihi