More Mindless Museum Mania Makes Me Mad

You may have noticed by the number of posts I have made on this subject, that it is something about which I am quite incensed. The outcome of this museum debacle is obvious! The councillors are making it look like they are doing the democratic thing, while all the time have already made the decision to go ahead with it - they are just going through the motions to make it look good. If we dont have a council or should I say RATEPAYER funded museum withing the next few years I will be extremely surprised

If Western Bay District Councillor Michael Jones is the successful businessman he claims to be, and the inevitable Tauranga City Council ratepayer funded museum is a great business opportunity, then I suggest he put his money where his mouth is!
If it were such a great money-making business opportunity, entrepreneurs would be queuing up from around the world by now. Their absence is a sure-fire sign that it is an impending albino elephant!
I guess it is a great business opportunity if you do not have to personally earn the money to pay for it, or be responsible for paying the money back if the project does not pay its way.

It is a great opportunity if the money is taken by force from a bunch of sitting ducks who have no choice in the matter to fund a project only a percentage of them are happy to be part of.

I would LOVE a museum - one privately owned, run and funded by private enterprise, as only such a museum is capable of being run successfully (that means at a profit!) for it would be in the investors interest to do everything in their power to make it happen. I am also concerned that only about 3% of the artifacts in storage would make it into the $25 million museum. That means that the cost of storing the other 97% would be virtually the same as what it costs NOW - another additional cost. Here are some of my thoughts on the situation. Re-open the Historic Village.

Hire out the buildings to private businesses (for heaven-forbid, a profit!) Into these building build secure display storage to house the artifacts, then people going in to the shops would be able to view them. Not only would they be on display, but they would be secure, and insured. Some of the premises would be hired out to hobbyists, or special interest groups like historical societies, blacksmiths, printers, knitting groups, carpentry, Literary and library groups. Traditional home-making and cooking classes doing preserves and honey and cakes, breads and biscuits etc. Singing groups, Art groups and lessons etc. Maori groups to work in and put on performances, displays, shows, story telling, flax weaving classes, blanket making, carving Language and traditional Maori stuff etc. They could get together and co-ordinate the shows in line with tourist ships and groups etc, and share the advertising costs.

The possibilities are ENDLESS. A more modest building could be constructed to house much of the rest of the collection in a more passive or traditional display, paid for by donations, and volunteers with fundraising by historical and Maori groups, jaycees, Lions, and all those COUNCILLORS and MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC who are so keen to force others into paying for what THEY want. This place would be a bit like DISNEYLAND, what with the rides and the shops and the crafts and shows and displays etc The shops and Live displays give ANOTHER PURPOSE for the museum. Instead of just relying on people going to look at old stuff, there are gifts, shops and entertainment. All of these things could be done at NO EXPENSE to the ratepayers - in fact the council could even start receiving a RETURN through rents and hireage, not to mention saving the money it is costing to actually STORE these artifacts. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE could make these things WORK - Handouts and grants etc are a HINDERANCE, and a DISINCENTIVE. People whos livelihood depends on a business working are more prepared to WORK HARDER, be MORE CO-OPERATIVE in sharing costs with others (advertising etc) and be more pro-active in community projects than those who are GIVEN money to start a business, and who just sit there and do nothing, hoping customers will just turn up until the cash runs out. The business owners could agree on a set of covenants stating that each business must donate a certain amount of TIME every month, or an agreed Dollar amount to the village The possibilities are endless, and they are exciting to think about, so: WHY is nothing like this proposed? Why do we have no alternative to a ratepayer-funded museum? Because the powers that be are not mentally equipped to actually THINK of any way to resolve the issue OTHER THAN BY THE USE OF FORCE! It is ALL THEY KNOW! It is the ONLY way they know! And what is REALLY sad is that they are not INTERESTED in considering any alternative

They think using FORCE upon others IS GOOD, and they are RIGHT, and JUST to use it because the POWER was given them by those they insist on using it upon.

They speak of things like "doing it for the common good,' and use words like "Service" and "Sacrifice."

Well, I say that where there is sacrifice, there is someone collecting the sacrificial offerings, and where there is service, somebody is being served.
Those who speak of sacrifice are talking about Slaves and Masters, and generally consider themselves to be the MASTER, when it is in fact the OPPOSITE! They (councillors) are in office to SERVE the RATEPAYERS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!