Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, As there has been recent publicity regarding the re-appearance of beavers in Scotland perhaps my experience in Athol, Massachusetts, might be of interest.
On a visit to Athol so called by an emigrant Murray 150 years ago as the area reminded him of his native Blair Atholl my host, who has been instrumental in twice organising the visit of 80 Atholl Highlanders, was driving myself and P/M Sandy Spence to an engagement when we were held up by an impassable flooded street in the village of Royalston.
We turned and attempted to progress through another street which was also flooded. On inquiring what had caused such flooding in dry summer weather I was told: ”Oh, it’s the beavers.”
When I mentioned that there was a move to have them introduced to Scotland, my host was totally nonplussed. Without my asking he said he would fax some comments to me about beavers which appeared in the local press.
I received around 30 faxes all detailing the problems caused by beaver interference in watercourses, flooding streets and houses, blocking drainage systems and septic tanks. Hours taken up weekly by the roads departments trying to unblock conduits, fire brigade pumping outcellars, debates in town councils, etc.
Perhaps like the recent introduction of sea eagles which can distinguish between healthy and ailing lambs the beavers introduced here are different to those in the USA, and do not have the same urge to build dams and block watercourses.
Duncan D. McDiarmid.Castle Menzies Farm,Aberfeldy.
Make savings and help loyal customers
Sir, – We recently received a bank statement on an ISA notifying us of the interest for one year and it was absolutely ridiculous, especially when the same bank is advertising savings accounts, including ISAs, at more than 3% interest. Ours was nowhere near that.
When we opened the account, the interest rate was much higher. I note that it has now dropped back to only 0.5%. We get better than that on our current account!
Recent experience with our bank accounts has been worse than that, with even capital disappearing into our banks’ black hole.
I know we are supposed to keep a close eye on interest rates and transfer funds regularly. I shall certainly be making inquiries immediately about not only this failing account, but about all our other investments, then checking on them at regular intervals thereafter.
Why should this be necessary, however? Whatever happened to customer and provider loyalty?
Instead of working what I would call a flanker and dropping interest rates to almost zero on existing accounts, while offering attractive rates for clients opening new accounts, would it not be fairer for banks to keep interest rates the same for everybody?
Apart from the need for open and fair dealing and for rewarding customers for their loyalty, all this chopping and changing involves a great deal of work and expense, not only for the customers, but for the banks
Banks seem to be deploying large numbers of financial advisers to help clients make the now regular investment changes to cope with plummeting interest rates on old accounts. Would it not save the banks enormous salary payouts if they kept interest rates as stable as possible and eliminated the need for so many advisers?
George K McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
No V&A no Dundee
Sir, – Like your columnist Dudley Treffry (May 21), I too received an exploring map from VisitScotland. I would dispute his claim, however, that this gave a comprehensive picture of Scotland.
I would suggest that the map was lacking any information about Dundee. Firstly, there was a chart showing distances between cities and towns in Scotland, but Dundee was missed out.
The informative panels of the different parts of Scotland, eg Aberdeen city, Angus, Perth and Perthshire, also managed to miss out Dundee.
I talked to some of the staff at the VisitScotland desk at the Discovery. They were very sympathetic and courteous, but hoped that Dundee would be better shown when the V&A was completed. In 2015!
David Black.Seymour Street,Dundee.
Listen to those who use it
Sir, – Why does Fife transport chief Bob McLellan try to defend the indefensible.
The Adam Smith junction project has been a total disaster since inception and has cost taxpayers £830,000.
Instead of offering stupid reasons for this nonsensical system, which clearly does not work, why doesn’t he, just for once, listen to people who use the junction and get it sorted out.
His response claims the public have been consulted all the way clearly not the ones who use this junction.
If the traffic lights are so state of the art, why does he say that they continually make minor changes to them they’ve been there long enough now to be as right as they’re going to be.
How refreshing it would be if just for once they would admit they are wrong and make everyone happy by putting it right. Not going to happen though, is it?
John Strachan.23 Beechwood Avenue,Glenrothes.
Similar, but…
Sir, – Scottish and English people are the same. Similar habits, culture and most other things.
Only good things reindependence would be that Scotland plans to be neutral like Switzerland meaning our boys wouldn’t be killed in illegal wars and we’d only pay for one layer of government instead of two.
George Aimer.82 Kinghorne Road,Dundee.
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.