Letters

Rugby chiefs are just not playing ball

IT'S a pity that the professionalism so often shown by Edinburgh Gunners players is so lacking in their management (Carruthers defends ticket policy as fans miss big kick-off, News, October 30).

When one takes into account the large number of Scottish and Irish internationalists who were appearing in last Sunday's match against Leinster at Murrayfield, even a "record" Scottish attendance of some 5800 for a Heineken Cup match is not much to get excited about.

The match's administration was not much to get excited about either.

Hundreds of fans queued for upwards of half-an-hour at a single ticket office, since the management had decreed that no cash could be taken at the turnstiles. My family and I were among the many who missed the start of the match even though we had arrived well before the kick-off.

Poor value for 20 for an adult ticket.

You quoted Edinburgh Rugby chairman Alex Carruthers as saying complacently that: "Everyone was in the stadium by 1.15pm." This was a quarter-of-an-hour after this supposedly showpiece event had started!

More amateurism was to follow, accompanied by rip-off prices. At half-time visitors in search of refreshment had to queue for an average of 20 minutes at a mere two food and drink kiosks where a cup of nondescript coffee cost 2.50.

Goodness knows what our Irish cousins thought of the shambles. The next time I'll stay at home and watch the Gunners on TV.

Scott Thornton,

Ancrum Road, Eskbank, Midlothian

Knee-jerk reaction will help no-one

AS someone who for 25 years ran an engineering business in Cowdenbeath, I would be the first to admit that in this deprived area of Fife there are problems with young hooligans - but there are also a lot of good kids from the area who would like nothing better than a decent job.

I had the pleasure of employing some of the latter category but many cannot find meaningful employment and become dissatisfied with a society they do not feel part of. I grew up at a time when everyone left school and found a job and while my generation got into trouble, normally associated with drinking at the weekend, we had to get up on a Monday morning and go to work, and that probably shaped my character - sadly for many today this discipline is lacking.

I think that the problem of the yob culture is something that demands a close examination and not a knee-jerk reaction on the back of a media frenzy whipped up by an opportunistic politician who notices that there is an election looming early next year.

I can remember the one and only time Helen Eadie visited my works at Cowdenbeath - and you guessed it - it was just prior to an election when her long dormant survival instinct had been reactivated.

It is a safe bet that the kids who reacted to Mrs Eadie had never clapped eyes on her before and the public's scepticism about politicians would be dispelled if these same politicians worked quietly to remove the cause of social problems rather than grabbing the limelight with sensational headlines for their own purposes.

Tom Minogue,

Victoria Terrace, Dunfermline, Fife

Ban is only way to stop firework louts

THE sale of fireworks to the public should be banned. They are after all explosives and this is their attraction to the louts who use them.

Around here for weeks before bonfire night, blowing up rubbish bins and dog waste bins is a nightly occurrence.

Fireworks are even thrown at cars with the possibility of causing a serious accident. Educating these louts at school doesn't work as most of them do not have the intelligence to imagine the outcome of their actions.

These are the kind of yobs who use fireworks to injure defenceless animals and for other "fun". There is no way that these youngsters should be able to buy explosives and the sale of fireworks to them must be stopped.

Christine Hay,

Newpark Road, Bellsquarry, West Lothian

Help protect pets this winter time

IT was distressing to read about the cat that had been abused by callous thugs using a firework (Police hunt 'barbaric' thugs who taped firework to cat, News, October 31). Let's hope the police catch those responsible and they are brought to justice.

Every year, many animals are frightened, injured or killed by the irresponsible use of fireworks. However, it is not only the illegal use of fireworks that causes animals to suffer. New legislation has reduced the period when fireworks can be used, but the noise levels remain a concern. Every year vets have to prescribe sedatives for animals traumatised by the noise and reverberations that they cause. Helpful as the new legislation is, the problem has not gone away.

There are a number of simple ways that readers can minimise stress and prevent injury to pets at this time of year.

For example, cats and dogs should be brought indoors when fireworks are being let off nearby, keeping windows and doors closed, and the television or radio on to minimise loud bangs. Dogs can be kept on leads to save them getting lost or involved in road traffic accidents after being frightened. All pets should wear ID tags and be microchipped in case they get lost. Small pets such as rabbits can be brought into the house, with cages covered with heavy blankets to minimise noise and stress.

In order to save wild animals from becoming injured and killed by bonfires, material should be assembled on the day of the fire and fires checked thoroughly for animals prior to being lit.

Ross Minett , director,

Advocates for Animals, Queensferry Street, Edinburgh

Fur trade is against animal cruelty

FOLLOWING the letter from Yvonne Taylor (Your views, October 28) about the fur trade we would like to provide some facts. We hope your readers will then be able to form their own opinion on the propaganda from animal rights organisations.

Members of the British Fur Trade Association (BFTA) along with members of the European Fur Federation (EFF) do not handle or offer for sale domestic cat and dog skins.

Furthermore there has been no demand for cat and dog fur in this country for many years.

To ensure that the consumer knows exactly what they are buying at the point of purchase the BFTA has introduced a labelling initiative. The BFTA Fur Labelling Scheme requires all BFTA retail members to label their fur garments showing the fur type in English along with its scientific Latin name.

The use of wild and farmed furs is strictly regulated by international, national and state government wildlife, agriculture and consumer standards authorities and by the industry codes of practice. These regulations include statutes that protect the environment and consumers and ensure science-based sustainable wildlife management and humane farming practices.

As an industry, we are against any form of animal cruelty. We deplore and work against the mistreatment of animals.

The international fur sector has invested substantial funds in independent scientific research to ensure that the methods of production meet the highest humane standards.

Andrea Martin,

British Fur Trade Association, Press & PR Officer, Brookstone House, Elthorne Road, London

Don't pander to young criminals

THE media has recently been highlighting youth crime. Isn't it a shame our young people have nothing to do so that it's almost considered okay to go and beat up the elderly, or vandalise cars, take drugs, and cause mayhem in the areas where they reside.

Lack of leisure facilities and working mothers are often blamed. My heart bleeds.

Many children from my mother's generation were evacuated miles away from home during the war. They hardly ever saw their mother during that time. They had no leisure facilities, no counsellors or therapists.

When they returned to a bombed-out London after a ruined, traumatised childhood, many were orphans. They didn't go and mug or rape old ladies or spend their lives in crime.

If parents are failing their role, then they must be held accountable. Perhaps if they spent less time in the pubs and more time with their offspring, their children would learn the word "respect".

Criminals of whatever age must not constantly be pandered to and, in many cases, rewarded.

Obviously, the answer to teenage crime is to bring back conscription.

Elaine Pomeransky,

Restalrig Gardens, Edinburgh