February 10 Letters: Discord over TV’s Songs of Praise

Thank you to Mrs Cussons (The Yorkshire Post, January 31) for her comments on Songs of Praise.

Fortunately, I recorded it and only watched the “real” hymns. I notice they now say “songs” so as to cover everything else. The resultant programme was thus reduced from 35 minutes to 10 minutes. Next week I may not bother.

From: EH Bell, Newland Avenue, Driffield.

UNTIL Sunday last, I hadn’t given up hope that Songs of Praise would revert to being more like the programme I always enjoyed so much but now it seems obvious that this is not going to happen.

I am certainly not averse to change, especially if it’s likely to benefit young people, and better still in my humble opinion if the change is likely to bring young people to church, but why make such radical changes to what I feel has always been such a wonderful and uplifting programme?

Slaughter
controversy

From: Ian Dewar, Thompson Drive, Middleton on the Wolds, East Yorkshire.

LIKE thousands, no, millions, of others throughout the UK, my sensitivity, tolerance and understanding towards the Muslim community in this country has been deeply affected by the reported abuses to animals at the Bowood Lamb Abattoir, near Thirsk.

For a religion that purports to advocate peace, kindness and humility I am disappointed that when breaches of that ethic occur, we hear little or no condemnation from the wider Muslim community.

During my time in the Armed Forces and since, I have witnessed animals being slaughtered in Muslim countries and the barbarity of the process is unbelievable– as is the animals’ suffering. I therefore fail to understand why we allow it here.

From: Martin D. Stern, Hanover Gardens, Salford.

WILLIAM Snowden’s experience last summer while attending an auction at Hartleys in Ilkley (A glimpse into workings of a slaughterhouse, The Yorkshire Post, February 4) is particularly revealing. He saw that, even if the slaughterer was doing nothing amiss, there was little concern that the animal was clearly terrified. Since, in this case, the animal was a pig, it was clearly not a case of either Muslim or Jewish slaughter. Much needs to be done to improve animal welfare at all abattoirs and the current obsession with ritual slaughter is something of a red herring.

True grit
to the fore

From: Ruthven Urquhart, High Hunsley, Cottingham.

DESPITE the inevitable inconvenience the recent white, cold stuff provides, at least the subject has given us all something to talk, complain or enthuse about. As children, our careless, carefree, selfish and self-centred ways would prevail and we would pray that sufficient snow would settle for us to enjoy the thrilling treat of tobogganing – and perhaps even allow us a few days off school.

More seriously, though, I believe we should congratulate the dedicated council gritters who, so far, have managed to combat all that winter has thrown at us.

From: David Treacher, 
Nelson Road, Hull.

A large number of people are falling over on the pavements and ending up in the A&E department of their local hospital for hours, often in pain and discomfort. Many are elderly.

These departments cannot copy with such a large amount of people, but a lot of this number is down to Government cuts. The people concerned should write to their MP and voice their concerns, not when it happens but before it happens.

Practice of
multi-pricing

From: Norman Wilkinson, Flamborough.

I THOROUGHLY agree with your article about supermarkets treating their suppliers fairly (The Yorkshire Post, January 30).

But what about supermarkets treating their customers fairly? Why should a single person have to pay £2 for a melon when the true price is £1.50? And why does the single or poor person have to pay £3.85 for six yoghurts when a wealthier person only pays £2.50?

Multi-pricing has become a curse on the poor or anyone living alone – why should they have to pay £40 or £50 per month more for their shopping needs? The chemists and health shops are doing the same.

In my opinion multi-pricing should be illegal – one price of one item.

Excavation
at St John’s

From: Mrs Betty Wrigley, Cliff Park Avenue, Wakefield.

YOUR magazine (The Yorkshire Post, January 24) had an article on Pontefract which mentioned St John’s Priory. Excavation during the Victorian period! What about all the people who kept the excavation going for more than 20 years under the direction of Mr CV Bellamy?