PAY CORPS: MANY of your readers will have served in the Army during the 1940s and 1950s as National Servicemen, the Virgin Soldiers.

Some of us completed our service in the Pay Corps in the UK, Germany and many other parts of the world.

An RAPC Old Boys Association has been formed and we are trying to trace ex-Pay Corps soldiers to swell the ranks.

There is no membership fee and we now have a list of almost 3000 names. We hold an annual reunion in Birmingham in October.

Anyone interested in such an association is asked to contact John Hudson, Low Well House, 16 Main Street, Wheldrake, York, YO19 6AF or myself. - Edward Russell (253 Intake), 26 Cauldwell Place, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE34 OSA. Tel/Fax 0191-427 6016.

GOOD MESSAGE

A BREATH of fresh air blew into Christianity in York and the world as Dr John Sentamu, our new Archbishop, urged us to be proud of our Christian and English heritage and traditions.

We, the 70 per cent Christians in the last census, should look to form friendships with people of different faiths and beliefs, colour and race as equals, without trying to convert them to our convictions.

If we do, he says, everybody in our developing multicultural society will gain from the renewed Christian ethics and joy for life. It will also awaken admiration, resulting in respect and reciprocal reaction around the world.

That's a good message for a troubled world; not just to be passing on but to be on the receiving end of too.

It can't be against the aims of religion anywhere but there is always the overriding question in joint activity by mortals, who like to see some immediate, tangible and personal benefit from their efforts, even the least selfish amongst them. What's in it for me?

That's no reason not to try. Good luck Dr John and those who follow you. I find that friendliness usually emanates from a smile. - George Appleby, York.

PETER Mullen has devoted many columns to rubbishing the Macpherson Report, particularly its redefinition of a "racist incident".

How galling for him, then, that someone involved in the production of that report is now the Archbishop of York.

John Sentamu is a moderate and open-minded man, and not, as Mullen disgracefully suggests, "obsessed... with worries over the colour of bishops and priests" (Echo, Dec 6).

Macpherson merely produced a clearer and simpler version of the "racist incident" definition already used by the police. It does not allow anyone to be convicted of a racist offence on the basis of an unsubstantiated allegation - the standard of proof remains unchanged.

The definition is intended as a guideline for officers investigating the possibility of a racist motive for a crime. As one police officer put it to me: "This is about empowering the victims of racism. It only presents a problem for mischief-makers".

Mullen's tediously repeated suggestion that he could be accused of racism for offering someone a cup of tea remains as silly as ever. Offering a cup of tea is not an "incident" in police terms.

Anyone who doubts the long-term benefits of the Macpherson Report needs only to compare the bungled investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence with the efficient conviction of the racist killers of Anthony Walker. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

QUALITY OF LIFE

ONE of Durham City's biggest attractions is its open spaces - within a few minutes people can walk from cityscape to countryside.

It's for this reason that local Conservatives are concerned by the LibDem City Council plans to sell off much of Elvet Waterside land.

A recent poorly advertised "consultation" meeting left many residents confused as to the motivation for the latest LibDem political scheme, when councillors blamed Government pressure for development but also admitted the sale of land would fund other projects.

Over the coming months, City of Durham Conservatives will be listening to the views of Elvet residents and will seek answers from the city council to make sure that the open spaces remain quality environments in which to live, socialise and enjoy life now and in the future.

There is a clear choice between LibDems who plan to sell more of the family silver and Conservatives who care about our quality of life. - Michael Fishwick, City of Durham Conservatives.

OLD IDEA

RE Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report (Echo, Dec 6).

I had to laugh when I read about one of the main points in the report about Teenagers to be offered "Learning Agreements" - a training wage in return for gaining skills.

Isn't this the same principal which the Conservatives brought out over 20 years ago when it was called the YTS - Youth Training Scheme.

This just goes to show that the Labour Group is stealing other parties' ideas yet again as they are struggling to make progress with their own ideas and are having to revert back to the previous governments' policies. Guess it is really back to basics for them.

I listened to David Cameron's first speech as Conservative leader and thought this is the man who is going to bring a Conservative government back to Britain.

I am sure that there are a lot of worried Labour members about now, but it is never too late, David Cameron has warmly invited new members to join. - Julie Jones, Darlington.

CONTRABAND CIGS

AN interesting comment by HM Revenue and Customs head of detection in the North-East, John Kinghorn, (Echo, Dec 1) regarding contraband cigarettes.

He says: "Smuggling deprives public services, such as schools and hospitals, of vital funding that goes straight into the criminals' pockets instead of into these crucial services."

I believe that more than 70 per cent of the price of a packet of cigarettes is duty.

When everyone has been educated/persuaded/bullied into giving up, how will the consequent tax revenue loss be made good? - PG Deakin, Shildon.

SWIMMING POOL

RE my letter regarding swimming at Shildon, (HAS, Nov 17), am I the only one out of tune with the council's thinking?

It has been quoted in the region of £15,000 to solve the leak problems. A very meagre sum, indeed a paltry sum, in view of the squander mania pervading the halls of borough and county; £130,000 by the borough to once again change their logo, no sum available from county for four changes of departmental names in five years.

The parents of Shildon schoolchildren should make it plain to their councillors that this is not acceptable.

Painting slogans on wagons, changing names of dustbin men to waste disposal and so on and so on should not be even priority over the welfare of people, particularly children.

I am disappointed that the displaced Labour Group at Shildon has been prominent by its silence. - Fred Edwards, Shildon.