Discipline spells love for children

IT was refreshing to read GP Taylor’s Saturday Essay headed “Children need the firm smack of discipline to teach them respect” (Yorkshire Post, March 3). Also, congratulations to the Yorkshire Post for printing this article.

Anyone of my age, who went to school in the 40s and 50s, when cane and slipper were freely available, all agree that this form of deterrent did not do anyone any harm and that you felt fear and respect for those who administered it.

Some of our younger reformers refer to this as a violent act and state that violence breeds violence, but it never did in our experience. There is far more violence today without any deterrent to fear.

Discipline spells love. A parent who disciplines their child does it because they love them and don’t want them to experience trouble in their future lives. Yes, discipline needs to return, but one big change has taken place regarding schools in that in our day we never went home to tell our parents if we had been in trouble at school as this would only incur further punishment.

Now children rush home to tell their parents who cannot wait to get to school to have it out with the teacher.

Points that are not worth it

From: Dai Woosnam, Woodrow Park, Scartho, Grimsby.

SOME TV advertisements really insult the intelligence, and there is one that really grates on me.

It is for a British car and house insurance online website and they are offering you 1,000 Nectar points if you take out car insurance through them.

It sounds wonderful, does it not?

Ha!

“Wonderful”, until you realise what 1,000 Nectar points are worth.

Precisely £5.

Yes, you did read that right. A measly fiver.

And considering you could easily be spending £500 on that insurance – if you are a very young or very old driver, or one with no no-claims bonus, or one with a very high-powered car – then that represents just a one per cent discount.

And given that an online rival invariably comes in with a lower quote than the advertiser in question … well, you just have to laugh at the nonsense, and not take it seriously.

Swap MPs for a mayor

From: Colin Cawthray, Lighthouse Road, Flamborough.

CITIES Minister Greg Clark claims Yorkshire cities will be left behind if they do not vote for an elected mayor (Yorkhsire Post, March 1).

If an elected mayor is going to get the cities what they want, what is the role of MPs who supposedly are the ones to represent the citizens?

For 13 years we had a Labour Government, there were seven Labour MPs in Leeds.

They could not even help the transport system, for instance the famous tram.

They could however sit on their backsides all day and claim their expenses.

I almost forgot they did turn up if ever a press photographer was in the vicinity.

If an elected mayor as the minister implies will bring businesses and untold wealth to the North, then let us get rid of the MPs.

Ambassador for town

From: Pat Tankard, Birkdale Avenue, Knaresborough.

WHAT a joy it was to see the picture of our first Town Crier, Sid Bradley, in “From the Archive” (Yorkshire Post, March 7).

Sid was a lovely man, and a natural as a town crier. He loved talking to people, whether Knaresborians or visitors, young or old; and always extolling the many delights of Knaresborough. If someone wanted to take his picture, he was happy to comply, provided they made a contribution to whoever was collecting in the Market Place, or to some other local charity.

I have a happy memory of him travelling with a group of us to our twin town of Bebra in Germany. There he took part in the town’s annual Harvest Festival Parade. That parade took twice as long as usual because he was continually stopping to talk to people and holding up the parade.

He was a real ambassador for Knaresborough.

Women welcome

From: Dr Elizabeth Binns, Cleckheaton.

A BIG thank you to the Yorkshire Post for Sheena Hastings’ article about the Freemasons (Yorkshire Post, March 2), and for dispelling some myths about the Order. It was well-researched, and fairly presented; but there are just a couple of things I would like to add.

The Grand Secretary, Nigel Brown, rightly points out that the masons are the second biggest charitable donors after the Lottery, but he does give the impression that this is raised by members alone. This is not the case, for there are many non-masons, including wives and partners, who also like to contribute.

He then opines that masonry is not yet ready to have mixed-sex lodges; and yet there is a lodge here in the West Riding that does admit ladies and gentlemen to each of its four meetings a year.

While the masonic business is being undertaken, they are entertained in another part of the building before all sitting down together for lunch on a Saturday – and raising donations for charity at the same time. The name of the lodge? It’s Aequitas – taken from the Roman goddess who represented equality and true fairness – and it meets at Batley. If anyone wants to know more, I can be contacted at [email protected]