Sir, I was shocked to read about proposals to slaughter deer on Kinnoull Hill.
Newspaper reports this week state that “officers are keen to preserve sites of scientific interest” and a mass shooting is needed to safeguard Perth’s woodland areas from further damage.
Where was the preservation interest a year ago when Kinnoull Hill was devastated by the felling and transporting of hundreds of trees for commercial use, not to mention the ruinous waste left behind to paths which had been there for decades.
I suggest that it is not the deer that are having a negative effect on Kinnoull Hill.
Many friends, like myself, have walked our dogs several times a week in this once beautiful area of Kinnoull for 20-plus years and still delight on the odd occasion to catch a glimpse of a deer.
This is a very rare sight these days even with all the clearances and devastation. A council report states there are 15 and 20 deer in a square kilometre patch of Kinnoull Hill.
When was this information collated for the council and by whom? Prove it, I say.
I, for one, simply do not believe it. Two years ago the Scottish Gamekeepers Association said that Scotland’s deer population was dangerously low. Who pays attention to them the experts?
I remember reading an article several years ago about stalkers being brought in to cull deer up north and the carcasses of many of these beautiful creatures were left to rot where they were shot.
Friends of Kinnoull Hill, let us stand together and not allow our deer to be slaughtered by a council who have no idea what they are proposing but are simply allowing themselves to be guided by someone’s statistics.
Maggie Burns-Bellingham. Bowerswell Cottage, Perth.
What would you expect?
Sir, The rushed Smith Commission “reforms” look bitty and incoherent, but what else could have been expected from an intervention by the infamously incompetent Gordon Brown?
The intention behind his eve-of-referendum “vow” was to give Scots enough rope on welfare to hang themselves if they want gold-plated benefits, to make sure they paid for them.
As regards devolved income tax, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns that Scotland’s weak tax base and relatively older population means there will be a serious fiscal shortfall.
In any case, the nationalist government’s performance in the fields already devolved has been deplorable with health and education ever more monolithic, obdurate and ineffectual.
Finally, any hope that the Sturgeon era might be more synergistic died with her unprincipled and opportunist abandonment of the SNP’s agreement not to vote on “English” bills.
John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
Couldn’t ignore the temptation
Sir, It was more than disappointing to read the change to the SNP code of practice and behaviour at Westminster.
I long believed they were correct to abstain from legislation which affected English voters specifically and for a very good reason. Those voters who are our neighbours and share our government have no opportunity to vote for the Scottish Nationalists, and according to the
Nationalists should not be governed by an administration for whom they cannot vote.
The question then would be: why now? Regardless of any rhetoric from Edinburgh it is obvious that the nationalists believe they have a chance at the general election and cannot avoid the temptation of realising their ambitions to rule the English through shadow influential tactics which might affect the overall balance of power.
The SNP represented a wish for the independence of Scotland but were defeated by the voters, so it is an historic moment indeed to see them put honour and principle aside for the hopes of some little power over our neighbours.
In addition, their behaviour may change politics at Westminster forever, causing a change in the law so as to disqualify Scottish MPs from voting on any English legislation.
Alan Bell. Roods, Kirriemuir.
Predictions are coming true
Sir, The “once-in-a-century” blizzard that has blanketed the east coast of the USA is one of the completely predictable consequences of climate change.
Big snowfall, big rainstorms, is what climate scientists have been predicting for years.
More very large events becoming more common is a consequence of climate change, particularly in northeast USA.
The Eastern USA seaboard is the big winner in the “extreme precipitation” sweepstakes dealt out by global warming, with the region seeing the biggest increase in the severity of the most severe blizzards or rainstorms across the United States.
Such heavy storms have increased by more than 70% in the last six decades, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment report. Called extreme precipitation, these are the top 1% of blizzards or rainstorms that pack the heftiest punch, threatening sudden floods or paralysing snowdrifts.
The trend has hit all across the USA, but with less impact in drier regions such as the south-west, which has seen only a 5% increase in such events.
These storms result from a paradox of global warming in which warmer air temperatures mean more moisture is stuffed into clouds. That’s why when it rains or snows it pours harder than ever out of those overstuffed skies.
In New York City, where Monday’s storm is expected to break snowfall records, five of the 10 biggest blizzards since 1869 have come since 2003.
The extreme snowfall the USA is experiencing is completely typical of what you would expect to see in a warming climate.
Alan Hinnrichs. 2 Gillespie Terrace, Dundee.
Mockery of a consultation
Sir, Although tinged with some anger, what a pleasant surprise to read, courtesy of Stewart McKiddie’s letter (yesterday’s Courier), that my fellow citizens did in fact opt for what I, too, thought was the best design for the V&A. Evidently, their input was just for show and the “arty” design team ignored that choice and went for their own.
That said, why the mockery of a consultation? Why the impression that the people had a say? Now the waterfront has become an affront to the common-sense, down-to-earth outlook of my fellow citizens; a trait of which I will always be proud.
They will be, therefore, totally aware that with such an incredible increase in cost, so early on in the project, it will now inflate even faster than the universe ever did.
Inflation is the reason given for the increase and that is with a significant reduction in the aims of the initial design. I was under the impression that inflation has been running rather low for the past few years; so much so that deflation is now regarded as being mildly possible.
It seems we poor citizens really do not understand the deep and profound thinking of the truly cerebrally-blessed experts of the V&A project.
As I look upon the wasteland, where once busy docks are buried deep; where my great-grandfather’s business once was; where my grandmother’s business once was, and where I worked for many years, I ask: where is the carnival of life that once played upon these simple streets, and why is this scene of rampant destruction spread before our winter sun and the wide wonder of our silvery Tay?
Leslie Isles Milligan. 18b Myrtlehall Gardens, Dundee.
No rush, let’s get it right
Sir, Jim Crumley recently asked: “Why not Flower of Scotland?” The brusque answer is that it is a maudlin dirge, but the main objection is that it is a folk song albeit a good one and very popular more suitable for pub or terracing.
It lacks pretty well every requirement of an inspiring national anthem gravitas, dignity, stirring melody. The pipes can’t deal with it and the dismal tempo usually means a ragged ending.
Although I have campaigned for “Scots Wha Hae” for years magnificent and with a jauntier tempo, words by Burns etc I have concluded that the Scottish Government should commission a new anthem.
We have terrific composers and poets aplenty. Above all there should be no “popular competition”, which will be hijacked and dumbed down by the tabloids, and almost certainly bring forth a cringe-making compromise.
Who would bet against “Stop your ticklin’ Jock”?
Incidentally, there need be no conflict with “God Save the Queen”. This would be played on distinctively British occasions or when Royalty is present, alongside the Scottish National Anthem. Several countries do this perfectly comfortably.
There is no hurry to choose an official anthem. Let’s do it properly and get it right.
David Roche. Hill House, Coupar Angus.
We already have an anthem
Sir, Our national anthem is “God save the King/Queen”. I have sung both in my lifetime.
The third verse (never sung, it makes it too long) does indeed refer to “rebellious” Scots, who were, of course, mainly Jacobites. Yes, there were English Jacobites too.
For religious reasons mainly, the majority of Scots wanted their rebellious countrymen suppressed as well, so that, as loyalists, they could get on with their lives in (relative) peace, and sing “God save the King/Queen” where relevant, and enjoy empire-building, the industrial revolution, or whatever, and the Enlight- enment.
I hope that clears up a tetchy irritation.
“Flower of Scotland” is racist, in my opinion.
A T Geddie. 68 Carleton Avenue, Glenrothes.
Frustration with call centres
Sir, I wish large UK comp-anies would stop employing international call centres to handle their customer inquiries. I realise that this is purely a financial move on the part of those organisations trying to cut costs but to customers it is increasingly frustrating.
It is also socially immoral, as there are a large number of unemployed people in our own country who could benefit from this type of work and they could stimulate the economy in the UK instead of helping out poorer countries.
I will now refuse to do business with organisations that use international call centres. I find it too irritating to have my inquiry dealt with by someone who cannot understand a Scottish accent. Recently I tried to get in touch with BT and each time I got through to an Indian call centre.
After 15 attempts I gave up. I was told that if all the UK call centres are occupied a call will be rerouted but 15 times?
Please, organisations, put your customers and UK unem-ployed first.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Eat a cow and save the world
Sir, The green lobby (and, alas, some of our MSPs) are obsessed with saving the planet by building windmills to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. But there is a more potent greenhouse gas methane.
Do they know that cows produce prodigious amounts of it (from both ends) every day? And that there are millions of cattle in the world? So, the answer to global warming is not to build a windmill; everyone should eat a cow.
John Dorward. 89 Brechin Road, Arbroath.
Safer forms of energy needed
Sir, Apparently, the government is about to introduce a bill this month to carry out fracking under our homes. At the same time, scientists are said to be warning that the use of such fuels will bring nearer the point of no return in climate change.
We should be exploring safe sources of energy such as hydro-electricity, solar power and the sea, with its unlimited power in the tides.
Malby Goodman. 70 High Street, Aberdour.