Sir, - I am pleased Mr Benn (D&S, January 19) agrees with me that "it is widely known that the hourly rate payable shall not be less than the national minimum wage". Can he therefore explain why the Post Office (a department of government) is saying in its "Agent Recruitment" letter to Sessay applicants that payment will be £2,712.66 per annum to provide a service for 18 hours each week? It does not take a genius to calculate this to be £2.90 an hour.

Turning to Mr Benn's criticism of Hambleton District Council, section 49 of the Local Government Act is usually used by councils as an emergency power to deal with certain unforeseen situations. However, in April 1998, Hambleton District Council gave 50pc on business rates to village post offices and shops and increased it to 100pc rebate in April 1999 and 2000. I certainly will be pressing for this policy to continue this coming financial year and thereafter.

It may well be the new Labour government that introduced the national minimum wage, but, as we have all learnt, they are all talk and no do, whereas Hambleton District Council is doing its utmost to support post offices in rural areas.

Coun NEVILLE HUXTABLE

Conservative

Hambleton District Council

Stealth closure

Sir, - I read the letter you published from Alan Benn (DST, January 19) with interest.

My personal view is that any post office vacancy should advertise the full rate of pay, including any potential income from selling post office products. As Mr Benn points out, the Labour government introduced the national minimum wage; with that in mind, the rank hypocrisy is theirs if they allow the post office to place advertisements that suggest a rate below that minimum wage.

I am sure Mr Benn will share my concern at the apparent "new" Labour policy of closing post offices by stealth, reflected in the forced computerisation programme, the application of the Climate Change Levy, and the loss of 40pc of income with the withdrawal from 2003 of pensions and benefit payments.

ANNE McINTOSH

MP Vale of York

House of Commons

Shot down in war

Sir, - Regarding the article "War grave mystery solved" (D&S, January 19), it stated that the aircraft shot down by Gp Capt Peter Townsend was the first German aircraft to be brought down on British soil. I believe the first aircraft shot down over Britain was on October 16, 1939, when machines from 602 (City of Glasgow) and 603 (City of Edinburgh) squadrons shot down a Junkers JU88 off Crail and a Heinkel He111 off Port Seton Scotland.

The first aircraft to be brought down on land crashed at Humbie (just south east of Edinburgh) on Saturday, October 28, 1939. The aircraft was piloted by Unteroffizier Kurt Lehmkuhl and was on a photo reconnaissance mission over the Firth of Clyde. The aircraft was from Stab KG26 serial no 5449 and coded 1H+JA and had flown from Westerland on the Island of Sylt. It was attacked by Spitfires from 602 and 603 squadrons and crashed on a hillside between High Latch and Kidlaw to the east of Humbie village. Two of the German crew were killed and buried in Portobello cemetery, Edinburgh. In the 60s they were reburied at the German Soldatenfriedhof at Cannock Chase.

It could be that Gp CaptTownsend's aircraft was the first to be brought down on English soil, rather than British.

B L MORRIS

Ashdowne Court,

Little Crakehall,

Nr Bedale.

Thank-you

Sir, - We would like to congratulate Morrisons Construction Co for keeping to its schedule of work for the re-building of Mercury bridge, despite appalling weather-related obstacles.

We also particularly appreciated being kept in touch with their progress by their regular bulletins posted both near the bridge and through our letter boxes.

SUE HOLDEN AND ANNE CURRIE

Station Cottages,

Richmond.

Pay back time?

Sir, - For reasons far less jingoistic than the Tories, the Green Party, like them, opposes joining the single European currency. Where do we collect our £5m pounds?

PETER GOODWIN

Teesside Green Party

Church Howle Crescent,

Marske-by-sea,

Redcar.