HUNTING: IN view of recent claims concerning the uncertain future of their hunting dogs made by the pro-hunt fraternity during their recent very public demonstrations, I would like to point out that annually about 3,000 dogs are put down by hunts after six or seven years hunting (about half their natural lifespan) because they have passed their peak of fitness for hunting.

This figure was supplied to the Burns' Hunting With Dogs Inquiry by the Countryside Alliance. - P Ramsay, East Cowton.

CAN anyone tell me the difference between cats catching rats and mice in the Houses of Parliament to hounds catching foxes in the countryside?

This Government thinks more about the life of a fox than a soldier. - F Gill, Thirsk.

THE ban on hunting with dogs has far-reaching consequences which many people fail to consider or understand. I hear so much about jobs, the welfare of the hounds, the rights of the hunters and their opponents, etc.

What I do not hear is a proper debate on alternative management of the countryside and its wildlife.

The Government votes for a ban on hunting because the practice is outdated and barbaric, but they fail to see beyond this. The countryside must be managed properly by people who understand it. We must consider the way mink are killing vast numbers of water voles and muscling the otter out of its natural habitat. The only control over mink comes from organised hunts with dogs. Without these, the water vole, otter and other native species may become extinct.

Foxes have no natural predator. Their numbers will increase if not controlled. So far, most farmers and country people have been happy to leave this control to the local hunt.

Shooting can cause the fox to die a slow death from painful wounds. Poison and traps can kill other animals, including domestic cats and dogs. We must also consider that, without hunting, there will be no out-of-season period and so the fox will be fair game all year round.

All of this is aside from the finely balanced economy of the countryside, which is being threatened by the hunting ban.

This issue needs more understanding and less emotion. - Al Stewart, Northallerton.

LAW AND ORDER

I BELIEVE combating anti-social behaviour is one of the most important undertakings of the day.

It is one of those issues that greatly affects, and is easily understood by, the ordinary man in the street.

It is welcome news, therefore, that the Government is to increase funding to help prevent anti-social behaviour and will recruit many more Community Support Officers.

It is true to say, of course, that progress has already been made with many people agreeing that the Government's measures have made a difference.

What is required, of course, is for those involved in nuisance behaviour to act more like good neighbours. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

A FEW years ago any vandal damaging a bus shelter or spraying graffiti on a public building could expect that any adult noticing it would go and stop them by giving them a clip on the ear.

However, the law says that is illegal and the adult would be found guilty and the vandal could sue for massive compensation.

Nowadays, any adult seeing vandalism or graffiti being practised will walk past and ignore it. So will the £9m that David Blunkett is to spend on wardens going to do the job which most adults did for free? - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

WE are told that one of the major benefits of an elected regional assembly will be that it would take over responsibility for, and thus be accountable for, the work presently done by un-elected agencies such as One NorthEast.

However, if we then vote for Durham County Council to become the one unitary authority, it proposes to set up 11 or more unelected Community Boards to address local issues.

Such boards will no doubt be composed of the council's selected appointees who will only be accountable to those who appointed them and not to local people.

Experience also shows that such boards can be formed, operate and make decisions without those affected being aware.

So much for democracy via the ballot box. Did the LibDem success in Durham City frighten some people that much? - J Routledge, Witton Gilbert.

ONE of the most positive aspects of the possible creation of an elected assembly for the North-East is that the assembly will be elected using a system of proportional representation.

This means that not just Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Tories, but other parties and independents stand a much better chance of being elected.

A good example is the Scottish Parliament where a Senior Citizens Party, The Greens and Scottish Socialist Party and Independents have all won seats.

There is every chance that the new body will represent people from every political viewpoint and all parts of this region.

Here in the North-East, the elections of mayors in North Tyneside, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, none of whom is Labour, has shown that new voting systems can bring unexpected results.

An elected assembly for this region will be able to represent the people of the North-East in a way that London-based government can never do. - P Rivers, Wallsend.

LABOUR CONFERENCE

THE Labour leaders lost two votes, one on housing and re-nationalising the railways. They said that they would ignore it.

They won the vote on pulling troops from Iraq at some future date. Will they ignore this vote? I doubt it.

This is New Labour all over, making the Labour Party Conference "Tony Blair and his puppets". I'm old Labour and stick to my principles. New Labour is who you know, not what you know or can do. - John Hoodless, Darlington.

MEDIA

WHILE I endorse the comments made by Aled Jones (HAS, Sept 23) I would emphasise the seediness of the apparent 'anything goes' philosophy of many of today's media decision makers and script writers.

The watershed of 9pm is cynically ignored by the inclusion of unacceptable behaviour within the 'soaps' and emphasised when the programmes are repeated during afternoon viewing.

For instance, both Emmerdale and Coronation Street feature promiscuity of 13-year-old girls and teenage boys and the subsequent motherhood of one of the girls. If an adult character in either of these programmes condemned or even criticised such behaviour I missed it.

In fact, the mother of one of the girls actually encouraged her. We have a law to protect children. Why is it not seen to operate when it should? After all, children, we understand, view such programmes.

There are instances, too numerous to list, where parameters and yardsticks have been brutally swept away.

Do actors not recognise their influence and responsibility, or is getting a part all that matters to them?

So many of the conversations I have indicate similar worries. If only the silent majority was not so silent. - Ann Walker, Weardale.