Tuesday's Letters: Tradition of justice threatened by cost-cutting

The desire to continue developing a politically controlled semi-police state run by administrators unqualified in law seems to be totally contrary to the centuries old tradition of people in most of Britain being tried and judged by their own peers.

Now, admission of guilt by tacit acceptance of a "ticket" has become the norm. To do otherwise can be an expensive option for the recipient.

Further, the papers which were presented for the "consultation" were sadly short of any factors other than those to do with sums of money. There have been several examples of the folly and impracticality of the proposals.

A letter written to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice pointing out that the necessary money could be saved by dismantling the over-arching money-consuming HMCS remained unanswered by him. Eventually a reply of sorts was received from an eminent person at that latter body noting how good they were at their task but that value for money and efficiency are the main priorities.

Laudable maybe, but this does not alter the fact that cases must not suffer ignominious disposal for convenience of the politicians and administration, but should be brought to court for proper consideration and justice to be seen to be done. In addition, such should be achievable at minimum inconvenience to all, including the offenders, and especially over the vast tracts of rural areas such as in North Yorkshire. The latter point seems alien to the thinking of chair-bound administrators.

Further, as a wider comment, if the Government is turning to the administrators to achieve its cost-cutting aims, the whole problem will only get shifted around as moves are made to preserve the bureaucrats' jobs at the expense of the essential skilled workers. We have seen it all before and the end results have scarcely changed the original situation.

From: RC Curry, Adel Grange Close, Leeds.

More than ever, we must avoid euro

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

THE situation in Ireland, which appears to be far worse than ours, makes me wonder if losing their financial independence by joining the euro has had any influence on such a situation.

It doesn't seem long ago when that country was awash with money from Brussels. So, what has happened? I wonder how many people in Ireland are today thinking that the status quo was the better option.

What do Greece, Spain, Portugal and others think when their own governments have no control over currency valuations and interest rates.

What do the people think when a substantial proportion of them are going to lose their jobs through no fault of their own?

What do they think when they see top officials in the public sector and senior banking executives still earning huge salaries and bonuses, as if nothing had happened?How do the new unemployed come to terms with the fact that they are becoming the scapegoats when the real culprits are getting away Scot free?

I am no economist but I have a gut feeling that things are going to get worse and the EU, which is nibbling away at our sovereignty, is going to be the cause. Woe betide the government that takes us into the euro, the electorate would never forgive it.

Paying the council tax

From: Dennis Whitaker, Baildon, Shipley.

I WAS intrigued with Quentin Deakin's train of thought concerning council tax. The purpose of this tax is to cover the cost of services as laid down by local and central government (Yorkshire Post, September 28).

It is not to re-distribute wealth. While I agree that many people could afford to pay more, that, in itself is no justification for a rise.

Firstly, council tax does not take into account a person's ability to pay. Secondly, due partly to greed and partly to any government's failure to stop gazumping, many people

find themselves living in property which bears no resemblance to the original price paid. If Mr Deakin believes there is immense wealth to be unlocked here, he may be disappointed.

No one likes to see job cuts but the astronomical numbers bandied about begs the question, were all these jobs necessary in the first place?

As for the contribution to the national debt, anyone prudent enough to have savings will have seen the interest received, absolutely decimated.

We are all paying off the national debt Mr Deakin, be under no illusion. Furthermore, thousands of folk quietly support charities without the need to consult central and local government politicians. If you believe the bureaucrats can spend your money better than you, that is your choice but not mine.

Art of making a profit

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Littlefield Lane, Grimsby.

SO the Winn family want the public to contribute towards purchasing a Brueghel painting for the nation at a "special price" of 2.7m (Yorkshire Post, September 30).

Who do they think they are kidding? Having owned the work of art since 1788, they would be sitting on a tidy profit whether they sold it for thousands or millions.

Why should we, therefore, be boosting the pockets of wealthy individuals? I'd rather see that kind of money spent on encouraging art at a local level, rather than simply propping up an art market.

Crossed lines over phone

From: David Glover, Wakefield Road, Bailiffe Bridge, Brighouse.

I HAVE received a phone bill from BT. It has on it the cost of line rental (which includes calling plan).

I do not know what a

calling plan is and cannot remember asking for one – I might have ignored the many leaflets etc which somewhere explains this.

So I have tried to find out by – as suggested on the bill – using the internet but this gets me nowhere. I have tried ringing the number on the bill but get lost in a maze of button pushing.

I'm told told my call is important to BT but I am then told there is a long queue and after several minutes give up.

Has any one else had this problem or perhaps can tell me the answer to my question and also is the 0800 costing me and making a bit on the side for BT?

Perhaps I am just a grumpy old man living in an age I do not understand.

Motorists have a responsibility to observe limits

From: SB Oliver, Churchill Grove, Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire.

MIKE Smith shows sympathy with the retired gentleman who was booked for doing 60mph in the 50mph limit on the M606 (Yorkshire Post, September 28) by suggesting that he was a stranger concentrating on the road instead of having his eyes "glued" to the speedo.

Being a stranger is no excuse and any motorist that suggests that being "glued" to the speedo is a hazard to driving, should tear up their licence and use taxis or public transport.

Every public road or motorway has a maximum signed speed limit, either permanent or temporary, and any driver that ignores or misses the signs could be caught and given a penalty. If a driver knows the limit, it shouldn't be too difficult to keep the car at that constant speed without needing to be "glued" every few seconds.

Driving examiners and driving instructors don't find that learners have the problem of being "glued" while driving.

Mr Smith refers twice to common sense and then compares (a) the jobsworths enforcing a speed limit with (b) the urgent (law breaking?) driving of an emergency ambulance going to (or containing) casualties.

Common sense tells me that the emergency services should be able to flout the road laws when necessary safely.

Unfortunately, the percentage of drivers today that disregard the laws and rules while driving is quite substantial which is why the retired gentleman was just another unfortunate victim.