WITH reference to the Examiner article (Tuesday, October 9) about the 241 bus service, I raised this matter at the following morning’s Kirklees Passenger Consultative Committee (PCC) meeting in Huddersfield.

The committee discussed the problem of providing public transport to small hamlets, especially isolated ones like Houses Hill, and agreed that there is no easy solution, especially if an operator decides it cannot afford to provide a service even with a subsidy from METRO – and if only 11 passengers a day use the service, the subsidy per passenger can become quite large!

The PCC suggested that the way forward in the case of Houses Hill and similar settlements could be some sort of community transport initiative, using a minibus and volunteer drivers.

This would doubtless still require a subsidy, but probably a smaller one than at present.

Maybe Christine Smith and her fellow Kirkheaton ward councillors could explore this possibility.

William A Kirby

Public Representative, Kirklees PCC

Pagan possibility

OVER the past few years as the question of what to do with Castle Hill has been debated, one of the most obvious uses has been overlooked.

Castle Hill has been used for many years as a place for pagans to meet and celebrate.

It will soon be Samhain (pronounced Sow-hen) when as usual there will be a meeting and celebration of some sort.

As paganism is the fastest growing religion/spirituality in the land, there is a good case to be had for the erection of a Henge or Grove where people may meet.

Other places around the country which have embraced this new movement of the people turned the area into a centre of tourism.

A forward thinking council could make a small fortune if it was properly managed.

And the pagans of Kirklees in their hundreds would be well suited.

Let there be an end to this farce that is making Huddersfield a laughing stock.

Edward 1 built a string of castles across Wales faster than decisions about Castle Hill have been sorted.

Christopher Woolnough

Linthwaite

Fitting the crime?

JUST a thought. Now victims can choose the form of punishment which the burglars and those committing low level crimes must suffer, will we see an increase in the use of stocks and tar and feathering to punish them?

No. Theresa May say they will possibly clean up parks and mend broken windows. Will this mean the ones they have broken already?

Obviously another statement by Theresa May who did not think before she spoke.

As for the degree of violence you are allowed to use to stop a burglar, the advice is confusing.

Faced with a 6ft 4in burly fellow in your house I would be inclined to say take what you want the front door is open for you!

T HARPER

Honley

Hardly fare

I WAS disgusted to read the story about the 10-year-old boy who was turned off a bus because he was 1p short of his bus fare (Examiner, October 10).

In my days it was made clear that no child should be left to walk home alone. Didn’t the driver think?

BRIAN LAWRENCE

Golcar

Singular prejudice?

NOW that all the party conferences have ended, we’ve heard much about “hard working families”.

I hate to be an iconoclast, but since when has little Johnny gone back to being a chimney sweep, or down the mines?

Surely, that leaves dad, and/or mum to do all the “hard work”. People do the “hard work”.

Why is it that no politician mentions single people who aren’t in a relationship?

We don’t hear about those who have made positive contributions to society.

This is were the discrimination and prejudice is encountered – singlism. It’s time for equal rights.

Alan Robinson

Huddersfield

Time to reconnect

WHAT a mess! Empires have always risen and fallen throughout known history.

The decline of the British Empire has been dramatic and short. How could a country which used to lead the world and be admired and regarded in so many places as a shining example of democracy at its best have deteriorated so quickly?

World War Two, the pace of modern life and development plus the rise of new Empires has undoubtedly contributed on the world stage but this does not account for the implosion we have suffered in every institution or office we once looked up to and revered.

Parliament once regarded as the “Mother” of what was good has become the deathbed of democracy. The opinions of the plebs simply don’t count any more.

Present day religion and justice are prime examples of what happens when you lose the trust of the people; the gap becomes too wide, they lose faith in you and respect for your officers, do not share your beliefs and walk away.

The principles and morals which once defined high office in all the establishments we built our success on appear to have vanished.

Where once if you fell short of the high standards expected of you, you fell or were pushed out of office never to serve again, now you serve a short suspended sentence before being welcomed back to the trough.

A lesson here for the Westminster autocrats perhaps, a referendum is a two edged sword, you need to reconnect with the population and restore their faith.

United we stand divided we fall, is as appropriate now as it was in 1939. Better to lose a little of your power than the lot.

John Langford

Lepton

Reaching a new low

A COUPLE of months ago the Examiner published my letter about the graffiti which is to be found all around Holmfirth.

I suggested that those spraying the DVS (Devious?) tag are Definitely Very Stupid. However, they have reached a new low by scratching their idiotic calling card into the window of the Kirklees Hospice Charity Shop.

To replace this window will be costly. This will take away money which could be spent on the extremely valuable work of the hospice.

Graffiti is not art. It is criminal damage. Parents: ask your children what they know about the work of the hospice.

Where are your children now? Are your children criminals?

Someone who still gives a damn

Campaign goes on

OUR campaign against volunteer-run libraries means that, for now, at least, the plan has been abandoned.

There were nearly 8000 names on the combined petitions. These have been handed in to Kirklees Council and will trigger a short debate on the future of the library service.

There is now a whole service review and although this could have some good results, we are concerned that it is taking place in the context of cuts.

We want to give the message to the council that we value our libraries and will resist any attempts to diminish the excellent service they provide.

It is the pressure of the public that has brought us this far and we would urge as many people as possible to attend the Save Our Libraries Lobby of Kirklees Council on Wednesday October 24 at 4.30pm.

June Jones

Save Our Libraries

Remember this

COMPETITION that will come from privatising the gas and electricity industries will provide a much better deal for the customer and not just wealthy Thatcher supporting share holders, everyone will reap the benefits that comes of public ownership – remember that one......

A Jenkinson

Milnsbridge