The Courier letters week ends with a tale of neighbourly spirit. Also discussed are the scrapping of Nimrods, the pension age, a look back to fuel prices of old, underage drinking, and opposition to SNP policies.
Neighbours rallied to save my home
Sir,-During the recent floods, my house was threatened by an absolute torrent coming off the hill.
On my own, I had been working to keep the drains going when I came to realise I was not coping.
Almost immediately, without being asked, my neighbours started to arrive. Eventually, there were 10 of them.
In the darkness and rain, they were able to divert the water from the house. In over 50 years, I had not seen anything like it.
Without any doubt, my house was saved by the efforts of my neighbours. I am extremely grateful to them and I am currently improving the drains around my property.
Ian Cartwright.Pitversie Bank,Perth Road,Abernethy.
UK defence compromised
Sir,-What a waste. The new Nimrod Mark Four reconnaissance aircraft, bristling with the latest technology, is being scrapped together with the flight simulators at RAF Kinloss where the aircraft would have been deployed.
What is going to take Nimrod’s role? It is one of the world’s foremost submarine hunters and intelligence gatherers.
Thomas Brown.6 Tulliebelton Road,Bankfoot.
Object to pension change
Sir,-The French know a thing or two about what constitutes the good life good food, coffee, wine, family and a nice early state pension age.
They went ballistic when it was proposed that it be increased from 60 to 62.
Our government has just introduced a Pensions Bill 2011 into the House Of Lords which intends changing our state pension age to first 66 for both men and women and then eventually to 68 and we seem to be sleepwalking towards it.
The coalition are telling us on one hand that we can’t afford the present system but, on the other hand, that if we accept a period of austerity, we shall prosper.
This change will not be reversed. If we acquiesce to it, it is here for ever. Even youngsters take note.
Robert Ferguson.Viewforth,19 New Gilston.
Those were the days…
Sir,-It was a long time ago 45 years to be precise the car was a Morris 1000 and the journey was Manchester to Elgin, 434 miles.
As I managed to squeeze just over 40 miles to the gallon out of the car, I bought 11 gallons for the journey. At the equivalent of 26 pence a gallon that cost me £2.86.
Yesterday, I topped up the tank of my present car. It cost me £42 for 33.63 litres (a bit over seven gallons) and you wonder why we senior citizens talk of the good old days.
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Cupar.
Cut off alcohol supply to young
Sir,-With reference to your article about underage drinking in Fife, MSP Tricia Marwick stated that, the “streets are awash with cheap drink” and she then went on to say that the SNP Government’s plan for minimum pricing of alcohol could make a major difference.
What has that got to do with teenagers drinking to excess?
Surely the problem is not the fault of big supermarkets, who religiously ask the age of the person buying.
The fault lies with little shops who sell alcohol to the young or turn a blind eye when an adult buys drink for young people.
I am sure corner shops have CCTV. It would not stretch the police to check the videos and identify youngsters who come out of those shops with something in a brown paper bag.
Norma Rutherford.East Lodge,Mid Street,Kirkcaldy.
Opposition to progress
Sir,-Firstly I am happy to state that I am an SNP voter. Tommy Stewart (February 1), while not declaring his own political allegiance, immediately starts quoting from his bumper book of New Labour lies.
It is not breaking a promise when your intention is to carry that deed but are physically prevented from doing so by the narrow political interests of Scotland’s opposition parties.
Let’s take just two instances the Scottish people were not afforded their right to vote in the SNP’s proposed referendum on independence, thanks to the opposition at Holyrood despite Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats supporting referendums for Wales and Westminster.
Minimum alcohol pricing? Rejected by the opposition in Holyrood but proposed by the self-same parties at Westminster.
Would it not be better for the opposition to declare in Holyrood the backing they receive from supermarket barons before they reject the SNP’s retail levy?
Kevin Cordell.2 Nevis Place,Broughty Ferry.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.