ANIMAL CRUELTY

AS a member of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, cruelty to black bears in China has been brought to my attention. The bears are kept in terrible conditions to extract bile which is used in Chinese medicine.

I would be grateful if The Northern Echo could publicise the WSPA's campaign. Even if people cannot afford to donate money, a letter or pre-printed postcard to the Chinese government only costs 40p - a cheap way to register a protest.

Anyone interested should contact Andrew Dickson, WSPA, Freepost SCE6686, Melksham SN12 6GZ. - Pat Ramsey, Newton Aycliffe.

MOTORING COSTS

WHILE the attentions of the motoring public are focused on the price of petrol nobody seems to be watching the car insurance companies.

Age Concern Insurance, which is supposed to arrange reasonably priced rates for the elderly, has increased my premium for the coming year by an outrageous £182.68.

As most insurers have an upper age limit, elderly drivers have to stay with Age Concern and pay this exorbitant insurance. - S Shotton, Darlington.

RAINFORESTS

AT the moment virtually the entire Western world is full of contempt for rainforest destruction and disgusted with what has happened to the men, flora and fauna that depend on the forests for survival.

We seem to have easily won the great debate. The question arises though, what course of action now? How long can decent people put up with this?

Will the powers that be ever give in to the wishes of the majority? We need lumber, sure, but what about using more recycled paper? Allegedly there is enough recycled paper in circulation to last us 100 years. Only rulers currently lack the foresight, the will, the morals and the right political climate to end the desolation and this is a bad, bad state of affairs. - Andrew Lightfoot, Bridlington.

QUAKERS

The mass exodus of players and management from the Feethams fiasco has done nothing to promote morale for the few players who remain and the club's loyal supporters.

George Reynolds is keen to praise the supposed achievements of last season. Well, Mr Reynolds, I'm afraid last season has gone. In sport we must only look to the future, which at the time of writing appears pretty bleak by anyone's standards.

No new ground as yet, a demoralised and decimated playing squad and increase in prices from last season. All this does not auger well for the immediate future.

It will be interesting to see how many of the paying public vent their anger by not attending games this season.

Mr Reynolds should wake up to the fact that footballers' high wages and outrageous demands are unfortunately an inevitable trait of the modern game. - Peter Kelly, Darlington.

SMART OPINIONS

EACH of us is entitled to an opinion but to find two of The Northern Echo's columnists on the same page virtually adjacent expressing diametrically opposed points of view is bizarre.

Ruth Campbell (Echo, Aug 11) criticises a grand Lake District hotel because the management required that her husband wore a jacket and tie before having an evening meal in the dining room.

In an adjoining column Ian Lamming quotes that haulier Eddie Stobart insists that his drivers wear suits, shirts and ties, that the wagons are always clean and are well driven. A good image is created.

If given the choice in a civilised dining room, I would choose one of Eddie's drivers to be my next table companion. - Basil Noble, Darlington.

THE EURO

PEOPLE should think very carefully before they decide whether they are pro or anti euro. The BBC is trying to promote the euro to the point of hysteria.

The BBC's Ceefax ran a story last week of Japanese firm Matsushita pulling out of the UK due to lack of commitment to the euro, while the report did not inform the public was most of its production was going to the Czech Republic, neither in the euro or the EU.

What has it got? Cheap labour, no unions and enfeebled currency.

The euro debate is being used by multi-nationals to milk state aid from governments.

Don't let global multi-nationals dictate our future. The UK is still one of the most attractive places for investment in the world. Language, infrastructure, skills, stability and independent thinking are attracting more inward investment than any other EU member. - B Cain, Wheatley Hill.

HEALTH COUNCILS

I WOULD like the Government to think again before doing away with the Community Health Councils.

In the long run, the Community Health Councils would save the NHS a lot of money by stopping the people who are not doing their job right working in NHS. - G Hall, Crook.

ASYLUM SEEKERS

I NOTICE that the right wing is using the issue of poverty in Britain as an excuse to keep the asylum seekers out.

I have a strong suspicion that some of the people who are raising this issue do so for their own purposes, but now want to appear sympathetic towards the British poor as an excuse not to help refugees.

This typical right wing attitude of scapegoating those at the bottom of society is, as Paul Lockey rightly states (HAS, Aug 10) an attempt to divide and rule. It is quite simply looking at the problem upside down.

The way to solve the problem of British poverty is not to deny help to refugees fleeing far, far worse poverty and in some cases war, but to increase the higher rates of income tax, and for some people in general to know more altruism and human kindness.

If the only way to help one group in need is by denying help to another group in need, then it is a very sad reflection of our society when you consider how much wealth there is in this country. - John Seacroft, Belmont, Durham.

LITTER LOUTS

MY husband and I are Voluntary Countryside Rangers for Durham County Council. One of our duties is to lead guided walks.

Recently, we motored to Bolihope Burn for the start of the walk. This is a popular parking area in summer for people with families to enjoy a picnic beside the burn.

We were disgusted to find that some mindless people had obviously enjoyed a barbecue, possibly the previous evening. It was almost possible to see where they had all sat. In a circle on the ground were several plastic plates, cutlery, bottles, cans, etc, as well as two disposable barbecues in the centre.

As we had a large plastic bag in the car we cleaned all the mess up before starting the walk.

Isn't it time that young people were made to clear up after themselves?

This 'Do Good' society has a lot to answer for. Perhaps some of the 'Do Gooders' who stick up for people's rights should think about decent people who would love to enjoy a litter-free countryside. - Joan Martin, Barnard Castle.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

MANY people are concerned over the law of double jeopardy in the wake of the recent Coronation Street storyline.

They should study our history and realise that Parliament enacted this law to prevent totalitarian monarchs from dragging people into court repeatedly until their required verdict was reached.

We must resist any attempt to repeal this law when we have a Government that is as arrogant and autocratic as any Stuart sovereign. - Raymond M Kelly, Chester-le-Street.

HONOURS LIST

IF the Queen were allowed to choose the recipients of honours, the list would be one with far greater justice!

Tony Blair's repeated honours list is one of the utmost cronyism and self image.

If honours were actually chosen by the sovereign and not the political establishment, there would be far more openness and goodwill to those in our nation who actually deserve the honours. - DS Hill, Chief Executive, World Innovation Foundation, Huddersfield