Sir, – In response to letters by Kenneth Stephen and Tim Baynes (January 22) it might be worth pointing out that crimes against raptors on or around the vicinity of grouse moors have continued despite it being made illegal many years ago.
The result of this has been the creation of a deep level of distrust between those individuals and organisations who have historically tried to protect birds and those, the shooting lobby, who now claim to protect and nurture them as a by- product of their commercially-focused business.
For any meaningful progress to be made, some form of trust should be re-established.
If, for example, some shooting estates did not object to photographic evidence taken on their land being used in any prosecution of suspected wildlife criminals, then that might be seen as a very positive start.
These estates could also cease to object to cameras being used to monitor areas of concern to the RSPB.
Adopting a policy of immediate dismissalfor any employeefound guilty of awildlife crime andsupporting any moveto invalidate theirfirearms certificate would certainly impress many.
Encouraging employees to giveevidence against any co-worker who is suspected of illegality in the field of wildlife would also break new ground.
I say this because I know of no case where estate workers have given evidence against fellow workers accused of crimes against wild birds or animals.
Even after legislation was introduced in 1954 in regard to raptor persecution they are still habitually referred to as “winged” vermin by some.
This has created aculture of persecution that has lasted through to recent years. To dismantle this culture will take radical change and a new respect for the law.
George Murdo. 4 AuchcairnieCottages, Laurencekirk.
Dangerous precedent
Sir, – James Buist (January 18) makes a good point about the lack of planning approval for the cladding programme which is defacing more than 1,200 fine stone-faced properties built by Dundee Corporation between 1924 and 1951.
The council isquoted (The Courier, December 24) as saying that the cladding “does not adversely impacton the shape of thetenement buildings” and has stated that, as such,no planning approval is required.
Surely the cladding represents a material change of appearance and approval should be sought so there is an opportunity to comment through the planning process.
The council is not cladding tenements within conservation areas, but it is setting a dangerous precedent elsewhere.
Conservation areas cover only about a fifth of the city. The Hilltown, Clepington and Downfield are excluded.
Presumably, owners of stone buildings in these areas will be allowed to apply external insulation without planning permission, despite the adverse visual impact.
Imagine thistreatment applied totenements around the iconic Hilltown Clock? It would destroy this streetscape for ever.
The implications for the future appearance of the city go far beyond what is currentlyhappening.
Dundee Civic Trust is all for insulating homes and reducing energy costs, but we urge the council to find another way and stop cladding these magnificent stone-built tenements.
Nick Day. Chairman, Dundee Civic Trust, 13 Whinny Brae, Broughty Ferry.
Cheap scoring over Cologne
Sir, – Clark Cross’ letter (January 20) is a dis-appointing misinterpretation of the events inGermany recently.
Having been born in Germany, the son of a Cologne person, or Koelner, it was distressing for me to see the scenes on New Year’s Eve in the city where I spent many of my winter holidays.
What has been more upsetting is the narrow-minded manner in which these events are being used for political gain.
There are not 100,000 more criminals coming into Germany. Mr Cross misrepresents comments made by Andre Schultz, Police Union, by claiming they came from an official report.
Mr Schulz has stated that it is important to recognise that the terror threat has not risen and that terrorists have no interest in sneaking in alongside refugees.
Most importantly, the most recent official police report disproves Mr Schultz’s claim of 100,000 more criminals.
The report demonstrated a slight increase in crime, but significantly lower than what would be expected; while the vast majority of crimes committed by refugees are petty crimes such as using public transport without a ticket.
Fewer than 1% have been sexual assaults, murders or attempted murders.
The majority of these crimes have taken place between refugees.
Although these crimes are unacceptable no matter who commits them, it must be noted thatrefugees are not more likely to commit these crimes than Germans.
Mr Cross should spend more time educating himself, in German perhaps, rather than wasting his time spreadingnonsense and using my fellow Koelners’ pain for his cheap political point scoring.
Lucas McGregor. Wellburn, By Cupar.
Tables turned on politicians
Sir, – Pete Jones (January 22) suggests some excellent solutions to the traveller problem and the filth they leave behind.
Another solution would be to stop anywelfare benefits and get the taxman to ask for tax returns.
For years, councils and ordinary people have had their lives blighted by the actions of travellers and have had to resort to expensive legal actions and clean-up costs.
When he was First Minister, Alex Salmond instructed the policenot to get involvedsince it was a civil matter andTravellers stopping where they wanted was part of their culture.
Was it part of theirculture to leave litterand human waste behind when they moved on?
It is, therefore, ironic that the ScottishGovernment is trying to evict People’s Voice who have set up camp next to the Scottish Parliament and say they will not move until Scotland is independent.
They have set up camp with caravans, cars,petrol/diesel generators, lighting and fire braziers on land that does not belong to them.
Sound familiar?
Well politicians, this demonstration is part of People’s Voice’s culture so you can nowexperience the pain that the public have suffered for years.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Perth centre facing chaos
Sir, – The closure to traffic of Mill Street, Bridge Lane andSkinnergate in Perth to allow work on the Perth Theatre project leaves me puzzled.
The theatre complex is at the opposite end of Mill Street to both Bridge Lane and Skinnergate.
What happens to the delivery vehicles taking goods to Marks and Spencer, Gillies andthe other shops in that area?
I can understand the road closure of 18 months at the theatre end of the street but not the other.
We are told that this is part of the plan torevitalise the city centre. Mill Street is hardly the city centre. City ofculture? More like city of chaos.
Jack Alexander. Whinlatter, 2 Stormont Way, Perth.
Influence of Robert Burns
Sir, – Scotland’s bard, Robert Burns is being celebrated the world over.
It is said AbrahamLincoln always carried a book of his poems in his pocket, but maybeRobert Burns was more widely appreciated shortly after his death in 1796 than we realise, for example, by the great German poet Friedrich Schiller.
Schiller first wrote his Ode to Joy in 1785, but amended it in 1803 with the line, Alle Menschen Werden Bruder, which closely reflects, When man to man the world o’er, shall brothers be for a’ that, from our bard’s fine tribute to thebrotherhood of man penned in 1795.
Ludwig van Beethoven incorporated the 1803 version in his revolutionary 9th Symphony (the Choral).
Maybe a literary expert could advise whether Schiller drew his inspiration from Burns, in either theoriginal Scots or aGerman translation?
John Birkett. 12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.