Readers' letters

SIGNS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFETY

Dear Ed, — It is sad to see some members of Douglas Community Council, who are elected to represent the interests of the local community, again resorting to wholly unjustified criticism of Douglas and Angus Estates for carrying out essential forestry management work in a safe and responsible manner.

The latest entry on the community council's website can only be described as slanderous mischief making.

Douglas and Angus Estates has always actively encouraged the people of Douglas to have access to, and enjoy, the many walks on the Estate around the village — with many of the walks being familiar to generations of villagers.

The temporary notices pictured on the community council's website are erected for the safety of the public, whilst the Estate gamekeepers are carrying out deer management in the woodland areas around the village.

This is an essential operation to control the numbers of deer in order to prevent damage to young trees.

Those people who do walk in the Douglas Woodlands will be aware of the significant areas of new planting that have been carried out this spring, which are particularly at risk from deer damage.

During the last 12 months specific areas in the woodlands have been closed for a total of six days in order to allow us to carry out this essential work.

It is disingenuous of the community council to make public accusations when there is absolutely no intention to alter the Estate's Policy on access and the public's enjoyment of the walks and woodlands on the estate.

To suggest otherwise, without making any attempt to establish the facts, is typical of the community council's approach to anything that happens in the village.

I would like to assure people that Douglas and Angus Estates has no

agenda to restrict access and will continue to welcome members of the public onto the Estate to enjoy the traditional walks as they have done for generations. — Yours etc.,

IAN L. FLEMING,

Estate Manager.

CASE WAS FLAWED

Dear Ed — I was interested in Jim Hood's take on the Lockerbie case which I must disagree with — in particular on the guilt of Al Megrahi.

The case against Megrahi was flawed, especially as the chief witness from Malta was paid a million dollars and now lives in the USA.

Initially he did not recognize Megrahi but the promise of money aided his memory.

There were other flaws in the case including some dubiety about the timers which were used in the bomb itself.

However, Jim's article does not have the most important part of the case and that was the motive for the crime.

The previous July the commander of the USS Vincennes had shot down an Iranian Airliner bound from Bandar Abbas to Mecca; it was full of civilian passengers.

The tragic events at Lockerbie must be seen as a revenge killing of an equally barbarous nature and it would seem more likely that the Iranians rather than the Libyans were behind the Lockerbie atrocity.

Whatever the true story is I think that the release of Megrahi was justified and that the senators should be asking some questions about their own country's conduct which brought about the Lockerbie tragedy.

I do not think that anybody should go to the Senate enquiry from the UK. The American Government should ask itself a few questions about its shameful conduct in the Middle East which has created the present political turmoil. — Yours etc.,

ED ARCHER,

Hope Street,

Lanark.

RAGWORT DANGER

Dear Ed — Please excuse me for getting up on my hind-legs to make a plea on behalf of all horses, ponies, sheep and cattle, so that a more determined eradication of the terrible invasion of the extremely poisonous, yellow weed, known as Ragwort, might be made.

Sheep will eat it down at the Rosette stage in early spring. Even this causes internal damage to liver etc.

Due to the ideal warm and wet weather conditions this year, there is a bumper crop in some pasture fields, even flourishing on building sites and council maintained grass verges and bankings.

Most horse and pony keepers are well aware of the danger of this yellow weed and dig it out for safe disposal.

But there are a few fields where horses are now grazing amongst this weed. As the seasons move on and grass starts to get scarce, the weed, after seeding dies off, is at its most poisonous.

I understand certain moths feed on this plant but surely, it does not need it to be in such an abundance!

I am puzzled why the Department of Animal Health and local authorities are not more involved in making an effort to reduce this weed.

I look forward to any comment they may wish to make, or indeed any other reader may wish to make on this subject, through your columns. — Yours etc.,

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED.

DIPPING INTO ISSUE

Dear Ed, — Ref your article Lack of Judgement in issue of July 29.

Having witnessed the carnage for myself I wish to point out that the 'hidden dip' referred to makes this section of the road one of the most dangerous in the area, as this example illustrates.

Not only is there no hidden dip sign, as you stated, there are no full hazard lines on the road — contrary to the report.

The writer is a regular user of this road and only a few days ago was almost caught in a similar situation when a lady driver in a Mercedes car decided she had time to overtake some cyclists who were going up the hill, towards Carnwath.

She was very shocked to see my car appear over the hill on this road, the B7016, where travelling in both directions is affected and in each case the 'innocent' driver was or could have been a victim.

Surely something must be done by way of warning? Serious injury, as you have reported, is bad enough but with the thoughtless speed used on this road, the inevitable will happen. — Yours etc.,

W MUNN,

Libberton.