REGARDING the smell around Lindley, Marsh and Oakes.

After reading David Newsholme’s comments in the Examiner on July 24 ‘Stinking drains row rumbles on’ I was very angry.

I am a resident of Oakes and have had this horrific odour in my house every day for the last month and this isn’t even including the times it’s been before.

I have called Yorkshire Water every time the foul smell occurs just to be told ‘we’re sorry’, but the reek just continues.

Mr Newsholme’s comments raise a few questions: “There are no smells coming from this factory now. The problem has been solved as far as I’m concerned.”

A few facts and questions:

1. If there is no smell coming from Country Park foods why does my house, together with another 60 residents, stink of rotting flesh and bone?

2. Why is Yorkshire Water wasting so much time on hair-brained schemes like odour loggers that aren’t set to log the correct gas? Meanwhile, our noses have to log this evening in the bedrooms. I’m sick and tired of being told by Yorkshire Water that they are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of this, but in reality it amounts to nothing. It still reeks. Everyday.

3. The comment about being a good neighbour is unbelievable as the gas from Newsholmes affects at least 60 residents not to mention one of Huddersfield’s most cherished pubs – the Bay Horse.

4. Why do we residents have to feel that Yorkshire Water is on the side of the factory all the time instead of the general public? We all pay our water and drainage rates.

5. Should such a big meat factory be sharing a public sewer?

I could go on because there is so much more to say, but my closing words are to both Newsholmes and Yorkshire Water.

You’re dealing with real people. Please stop treating us like imbeciles.

We have arms and legs just like you and unfortunately, depending on how you view it, a nose too.

Rob Jarvis

Oakes

Problems on both sides

IN response to the article in the Examiner about people wasting NHS time and resources by not attending appointments, ‘Missed appointments waste £3.3m a year’ July 24.

I would just like to say that it can also happen the opposite way.

Having spent five days in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary I had to attend an outpatient clinic.

My husband accompanied me and due to the fact we haven’t a car we had a five minute walk to the bus stop, one bus journey into town and then another up to the HRI.

I duly went with my appointment card to reception to be informed that the appointment had been cancelled.

“Didn’t you get a letter?” asked the receptionist. “Sorry, but you should have done.”

Had we not been over a certain age and been able to use our free bus pass it would have cost us approximately £12 in wasted bus fares.

I was only thankful that the appointment was at HRI and not Calderdale.

CHRISTINE ANN FROST

Lockwood

A misuse of power?

I WRITE in support of Marie Nicholson when she says about her day care dismay, Mailbag July 26.

My daughter uses day care five days a week so I know what hardship this will cause for a large number of people.

The charges for day care rise year on year and are more than the increase in benefit which this year has increased by £3.25 per week and day care is to rise by £2.50 per day or £12.50 a week. So service users will be expected to take a cut in their living allowance of £9.25 per week.

This is a cruel injustice and tragedy for vulnerable people. It should be looked at again and people who are going to be made to suffer by it should be consulted as they ought to have been in the first place.

Marie is right when she says they have been targeted because they won’t fight against these shocking increases.

They have no union to fight for them, but people should fight and not allow themselves to be treated so unfairly. Send a message to Kirklees Council that they have gone too far with the contemptible misuse of power.

Clr Molly Walton is someone who I have great respect and liking for as a straight forward honest councillor so I appeal to her to look again at this hurtful increase.

J RICHARD WRIGLEY

Paddock

Who has gained from us?

REGARDING the spending of £700,000 sprucing up two streets of privately owned houses in Lockwood (Examiner, July 26).

This is the second time this general area has benefited from the regeneration programme – last time it was Thornton Lodge and they too were privately-owned houses.

There are many concrete council-owned houses in my area that have not had a lick of paint on them since they were built in 1950/51 and they stand out like sore thumbs.

Also, I would like to know why private landlords should gain by being able to charge higher rents for more attractive buildings at the expense of council taxpayers.

MRS N CLARKE

Almondbury

Are there secret tunnels?

CASTLE Hill and the old pub area is once again earmarked for a building site.

Let’s hope the mysteries up there can be discovered as this could be the last throw of the dice as who knows what future plans our council will come up with.

October is not a good time to start as the weather can be hostile up there.

One only has to stand on the hill to realise what an advantage our ancestors had by holding the high ground.

Views from all sides can be clearly seen and if any attacking force was present, no doubt many escape tunnels would have existed.

There are many rumours of tunnels leading into town and surrounding areas – also a golden cradle is thought to have been buried – and Castle Hill is thought to have a township up there.

Maybe these will be proved or disproved by the ‘dig’.

Whatever the outcome, the hill is very special and not to be cheapened by foolish ventures.

M GRANGER

Huddersfield

Clear up the dog mess

I THINK the residents of Netherwood Close must have the most arrogant dog walkers in Huddersfield.

To you all – if you can’t afford a garden of your own then don’t have a dog. If you have a garden then use it.

If we wanted dog poo on the land in front of our homes we would buy a dog of our own.

Looking at some of the walkers, a long walk would do you good, as well as the dogs.

There maybe no notices up now but I can assure you there soon will be!

Not a dog owner

Fixby

Think ink for riches

IF you are lucky enough to have some spare cash and are looking to invest it, forget property, forget land, forget fine wines or art or gold and silver.

Think printer ink – pound for pound worth more than any of them.

It’s £16 to refill an ink cartridge which I doubt holds more than a couple of tablespoonfuls.

ALLEN JENKINSON

Milnsbridge

TV licence evaders

WHEN I read Court in Brief in our excellent paper I always notice that a high amount of court appearances are people failing to pay their TV licences.

I always pay mine but I question why the TV licence is so expensive when it’s for the BBC channels which I very rarely watch.

ITV provides a better service and that is paid by advertisers so why doesn’t the BBC aim in that direction.

Do people begrudge paying it due to lack of good entertainment or are the prices too high for their incomes?

Either way, the TV licence being reduced is a step in the right direction.

COLIN VAUSE

Marsh

Economic explanation

UNTIL Friday, July 23, I had not seen the invitation to explain the economic crash of 1931 so here goes.

The May report of July 1931 urged public sector wage cuts and large cuts in public spending.

The trade unions and several government ministers refused to support this despite the urgings of Philip Snowden, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Labour government was split beyond recovery and the General Election resulted in a landslide victory for the Conservatives with Labour winning only 46 seats and left them frustrated by voters for 14 years, although Macdonald remained Prime Minister till 1935.

JERRY CONDON

Quarmby