FAME

THE funeral of actor Anthony Quinn was mentioned briefly (Echo, June 11). Another of the one-time huge stars of cinema who has died recently with hardly a notice, at least in this country.

Fame is fleeting. Mr Quinn and his contemporaries basked in the glow of adulation for a few years, now a new generation hardly know their names.

The young wannabes who are at present appearing in TV programmes about discovering new talent would do well to think about the fickle nature of fame.

At present, it seems all they desire. They may even earn the right to shine as stars for a brief while, but have they fully prepared for what they will do when fame turns its back on them and they become the forgotten ones? - EA Moralee, Billingham.

VOTING

THE problem encountered by Mrs JS Lycett at the voting booth (HAS, June 14) repeated my experience of some years ago.

I questioned the need for cross-referencing my ballot paper and, in response, was advised that some voters use the form to convey remarks which could offend the vote counters and that action would enable the writer to be traced and suitable action taken.

I suggested that any mark other than the X must make the paper void, and consequently it did not have to be read. About this time a supervising policeman approached the desk and the discussion ceased.

I have wondered every since whether anyone has been contacted as a result of the safeguard and, if so, with what outcome? - AB Bradley, Darlington.

EUROPE

YOUR leader (Echo, June 11), E or Euro, we must decide, is a most perceptive and useful call for an urgent proper debate on our further European engagement.

True, the damaging impact of uncertainty and jingoistic half-arguments are clouding the perspectives we must all now consider. There is no shortage of comprehensive and objective fact in local libraries and elsewhere to aid decision before any referendum.

The discussion you ask is already taking place locally in the Tees area branch of the European Movement which meets in Darlington. You may contact David J Whittaker, 9 Mile Planting, Richmond, North Yorks DL10 5DB or tel (01748) 824698 or e-mail david "I like my neighbours. I get on very well with them, but I would not like to have a joint bank account with them." - Margaret Richardson, Darlington.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

THERE are 10,000 Catholics in Darlington. Since 1944, they have had their own education system - four primary schools and one comprehensive school. The new Labour Government has already stated that it intends to help promote more church schools because they are so successful.

The Catholic secondary school in Darlington, Carmel, would be very badly affected by the proposed policy of changing the distance for free-travel qualification. A corridor would be created in the borough, badly affecting the parents least able to pay.

The answer recently given by councillors and officials was that Catholic children who could not afford to pay could go to one of the other five borough schools, alternatively they could walk.

The Director of Education suggests that the exercise could save £50,000 a year for the next five years. Isn't such saving chicken-feed against an education budget of over £40m? - E Clegg, Darlington.

SAMARITANS

MY husband, Phil Everitt, suffered a stroke whilst riding his bicycle and collapsed near the Mowden pub in Staindrop Road, Darlington, on Sunday evening, June 10. Some wonderful, kind people stopped to give him assistance, contacted me, called an ambulance and attended him until the ambulance arrived. I did not get their names, nor contact addresses, but I would like to express our sincere thanks to them for all they did. - Mary Everitt, Darlington.

RURAL AFFAIRS

THE Countryside Alliance welcomes the new integrated Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Alfairs (DEFRA) to include express responsibility for rural affairs under the directorship of Margaret Beckett.

The real work begins now - and must begin urgently. The key is to ensure the greatest number of sustainable rural livelihoods from the productive use of the land itself. With this presumption at the centre of rural policy the rest, including the safeguarding of the rural environment, will slot into place more easily - so long of course as Government also ensures the affordable homes, amenities, transport and services.

It has been claimed that any real progress could be hampered by what are often assumed to be the all but irreconcilable claims of the countryside's legitimate stakeholders. But Mrs Beckett will find a receptiveness to the need for change amongst those responsible for the use and conservation of our landscape.

This week, the Alliance is publishing, in web-book form (www. countryside-alhance.org) the conclusions of a seminar which brought together leading academics, rural business groups, farmers, landowners and conservationists. The seminar revealed a strong consensus about supposedly vexed questions such as the need for progressive reform, transition from subsidy dependence to economic self-sustainability, and a role for the state in land management issues. - John Haigh, North East Area Public Relations Officer, Northallerton.