FOX HUNTING: THE various high-powered organisations whose representatives' names appear below the letter (HAS, Oct 6) backing hunting, purport to speak on behalf of agricultural interests across most of the UK and "the rural community".

Why is it, then, that they have remained so conspicuously silent while, over the last 40 years, one rural community after another has been systematically strangled? Strangled through destruction of essential services, jobs and affordable house prices.

These things have happened through a combination of pernicious government policies and influential vested interests. Yet only now, on the issue of fox hunting, have the organisations listed chosen to make a stand.

Ask any real country people whose side they are on and they will tell you it's the fox's. Because the fox is a victim of savage injustice and so are they. - T Kelly, Crook.

PENSIONS

"I HAVE no reverse gear" says Tony Blair, which means there will be a reverse of old age pensions back in line with average earnings and the rises will be in line with inflation.

So there will be a meagre rise in payment and then the council rates will go up by several times. The pensioners' rise and their standard of living will go down further and further - at present £7 a week for the single pensioner.

The Tories have proclaimed that they will restore the pension to the average earnings. Where will the money come from?

They could reverse the amount of income politicians received and turn some of the cash to the poor pensioners.

Well, Tony Blair has no reverse gear, but millions of voters, including pensioners do have reverse gear. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

WHEN the Tories say they are going to give pensioners £11 a couple and £8 a single pensioner, will they tell us if they are going to do away with the £200 cold weather allowances and the free TV licence for over-75s.

If so the pension will go up by £11 or £7 and will be taxed. - Gordon Hodgson, Bishop Auckland.

CRICKET

The recent remarks by Mike Amos on the Kirklington CC v Doghouse CC match (Backtrack, Sept 23) were of interest and allow me to add a point or two in this connection.

Friendly cricket is played each week at Kirklington with teams coming from London, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, etc plus some local fixtures - all for a day's enjoyment.

Due to league commitments, Sunday friendly games are becoming more difficult to arrange and it would be an awful pity should they cease.

The idea of Sunday cricket at Kirklington is for the benefit of those people who cannot play at other times but it has also proved to have been a wonderful "nursery" for younger players and numbers come through each year.

Cricket has been played at Kirklington for over 150 years with still the old village names appearing - Potters, Broadwiths, Taylors, Sedgwicks, Huntons, etc and may it continue.

I am groundsman and played my first match at Kirklington some 70 years ago with Thorpe Perrow. Aged 14, I scored 98 runs and went on to play cricket quite seriously for the next 50 years.

I can only hope that this friendly cricket continues. The ground at Kirklington is old, very precious and a good village asset.

It can never be a matter of winning or losing. We welcome all our friends with a thankful and joyful heart with the hope that we can enjoy some time together. (The pub is just round the corner). - J Craddock, Bedale.

IRAQ

ANOTHER £300m is heading for Iraq, in addition to the £200m already committed by the UK.

I know we are supposed to be a wealthy country, but how much longer can we continue handing out hundreds of millions of pounds in this way without getting deeper in debt than we are at present?

Yes, we caused a great deal of damage to Iraq in the war. Yes indeed, we should recompense them in some way, but I think the best thing we could do is to leave the Iraqi people to take control of their own affairs. That is what they are crying out for and would mean far more than money.

Iraq is a very rich oil country in its own right. They are not short of a few millions of their own.

It is high time the UK troops came home and allowed the Iraqi people to enjoy their freedom from Saddam.

The refugees who are at present in this country may feel a lot happier about returning to their homeland if they know it is really theirs.

As for the millions of pounds our Government is so eager to send, if it is going spare, there are plenty of ways to make use of it here in Britain. Raising the old age pension for a start. - EA Moralee, Billingham.