Sir, – Could Rev Dr John Cameron lead by example in alleviating the Church of Scotland’s problem of churches lacking ministers as described in his letter of March 7?
While I do not know how physically able Dr Cameron is, his letters show that he is both mentally very alert and active and also fully confident concerning the value of his ideas and his ability to disseminate them.
He might free resources for parochial work by taking on some university chaplaincy duties.
While being of the same mind as many students regarding sexual matters and questions of life and death, Dr Cameron could challenge the students by pointing out to them that, by his own personal standards, many of them were not intellectually able enough to be truly university students and that many were studying pretendy degree courses.
More importantly, he could warn those on genuinely rigorous science courses that their professors were likely to be dishonest and venal.
According to Dr Cameron’s own significant sampling, science professors admitted in private that there was no scientifically robust evidence for man-made climate change but they subscribed to this lie in order to protect their salaries and departmental funding.
Gordon Dilworth.
20 Baledmund Road,
Pitlochry.
Church is now less caring
Sir, – Locum minister Gordon Sharp paints a gloomy picture of the Kirk and its decline in membership (March 8).
Sadly, it is a two-edged sword, for the care once shown by the Kirk is not there anymore.
I spoke to man who had a locum minister officiate at his wife’s funeral but no minister or elder visited when she was ill.
Thomas Brown.
3 Church Place,
Bankfoot.
Nationwide shortage
Sir, – The shortage of ministers to fill vacant churches is not only confined to Dundee.
Every presbytery in Scotland has vacant charges. We can only hope more men and women will be called to train for the ministry to help solve the shortage problem for the future.
I have been an elder in the church for more than 50 years.
We also need a revival in church membership.
It saddens me that fewer people are attending public worship in most of our churches.
Thomas Michie.
93 Main Street,
Kinglassie.
Hurry with lottery bid
Sir, – I read your article about lottery funding for various organisations across the region and the importance of these grants.
Presumably, if Nicola Sturgeon is successful in her attempt to remove Scotland from the union then this source of funding will cease.
I suggest groups wishing for this funding had better get their applications in quickly, just in case.
Mark Liddiard.
North Mains,
Strathallan.
Move salmon farms onshore
Sir, – Scott Landsburgh’s comments about my criticisms of the salmon farming industry were robust. They had to be – he is the chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation. Mr Landsburgh asserted many of my statements made during my talk to anglers were completely wrong.
Along with the angling fraternity, fishery owners, conservationists, and scientists, I still believe the salmon farming industry should be held to account for its activities.
I could have said a lot more, for instance the fact that the Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland biologists’ map of the west coast revealed that near every critically endangered salmon river was a fish farm. Surprise, surprise.
Each of these farms spews out a sea lice soup through which juvenile fish (smolts) have to swim during their annual migration, and are literally eaten alive by a plague of parasites.
I could also have mentioned SEPA’s disclosure that 45 sea lochs are contaminated by pesticides used to control sea lice, chemicals which can damage human health and marine life, a “ticking time bomb” according to some environmentalists.
I could have mentioned that farmed salmon are fed with pellets made from fish that salmon and other species rely on for their food.
Beef and dairy producers muck out their sheds and byres daily to prevent disease.
Salmon farmers don’t clean up the faeces, fish pellets, and chemicals which drop through the nets to rot, making the sea bed sterile.
There are plans for giant salmon farms off Orkney and Shetland, one of which could produce more effluent than the entire outflow from Glasgow. So how much effluent is being produced by the 300 west coast salmon farms?
I could also have mentioned the thousands of caged salmon which have died from pancreatic disease over the years.
There is no doubt in my mind that the salmon farming industry in Scotland should clean up its act and move to closed containment facilities on dry land rather than cages in what used to be our pristine sea lochs.
Arnot McWhinnie.
Whiteacre,
Stanley.
Cats killing our wildlife
Sir, – As an early morning dog walker, it is delightful to listen to the dawn chorus.
The blackbirds at the moment have other things on their mind and seem oblivious to our company.
But the downside to their inattention is the marauding cats who are killing these lovely birds by the millions.
Why is nothing done to keep cats under control? If my dog was fouling neighbours’ gardens and killing wildlife, I am sure there would rightly be an outcry. So let us have a little fairness in animal legislation.
Bob Duncan.
110 Caesar Avenue,
Carnoustie.
Rethink UK’s wage rules
Sir, -Well done Stephen Leckie and then Kenneth Souter (March 8) for openly raising questions about the National Living Wage.
Let us suppose that an elderly friend requires someone to cut their grass. Down the road is an eager young man, just out of prison, keen to enter the world of employment.
Our friend wants to give him a chance. The first day the young man sleeps in but is permitted to come back the following day.
It takes a long time to train the young man, and he requires a continual watchful eye. Nevertheless, after many hours, the grass has been cut to a reasonable standard. Now my question is, should he be paid £7.50 per hour?
Surely if the Government is keen that employers take on the downtrodden and endeavour to establish them as solid workers, then employers, many of whom run small, local businesses, should not be required by law to pay them the NLW, plus holiday pay and then to contribute towards and administer their pension. Such excessive legislation renders weaker worker less employable.
Stuart Wishart.
12 Walnut Grove,
Blairgowrie.