Boxing Day

RE the picture of my sister-in-law, Miss Alice Jackson (Echo, Dec 12), later Mrs JR Kingston, of Hallgarth Farm, Durham, who, with her husband, became Mayor and Mayoress of Durham in 1953.

The mayor, but not the mayoress, was invited to attend the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, but she should be remembered for the stalwart work she did on the day attending numerous school, social and street parties representing the city. Older readers will remember what awful weather it was that day.

As a wonderful gesture, the mayor and mayoress, instead of Coronation memorablia, distributed to every pensioner within the city boundaries, half a dozen eggs.

The young girl pictured alongside Alice is her sister, Violetta Jackson, who went on to nursing later in the war. She became Mrs Lettie Jackson, of Manor Farm, Dalton Piercy. - Evelyn Stevenson, Hett, Durham.

CHRISTIANITY

CHRISTIANS demonised the Jews and, after suffering persecution at the hands of the Romans, they have screamed victim at every opportunity, while demonising and oppressing every non-Christian faith they encountered.

By Papal order, every Black African shipped as a slave was forcibly Christianised. By Papal order, Christianity was forced on people by the sword or through torture. Those others who dared question or believed differently faced arrest, torture and execution in a manner which, if performed by another faith, would be deemed human sacrifice.

The history of Christianity is a bloody one written in the evils of intolerance, bigotry, torture, enslavement and the genocide toward those of other races, religions, cultures and civilisations.

Many HAS correspondents have complained recently of an alleged conspiracy against Christmas and intolerance of Christians. If such intolerance does exist, why are Christians complaining?

After all, while intolerance of Christianity is wrong, those doing it are merely putting into practice what Christians have been preaching and doing to other faiths for nearly 2,000 years. - HE Smith, Spennymoor, Co Durham.

GNER

VARIOUS reasons have been cited for the downfall of GNER's East Coast Main Line franchise, including the London bombings, large energy increases and, of course, the ongoing franchise payments to the Government.

I applaud the arrangements that have been put in place to allow GNER to keep the service going until a new franchise holder is found, but the big concern is whether these arrangements will lead to poorer service and efficiency.

At present, the service provided is good but, with temporary arrangements, there is always the fear of a gradual deterioration of the service.

This rail service is an essential part of the structure and economy of the North-East so we cannot delay a decision on a new provider.

As a region, it is well known that, economically, we struggle against the South and a deterioration in the main line service will be even more to the detriment of the North-East and increase the North-South divide. - Colin Stratton, North-East Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses.

INEQUALITIES

I AM sorry that Hugh Pender is despairing (HAS, Dec 13). The fact remains that the population of South Africa has exchanged one set of masters for another, and that townships such as Soweto still exist, with all their inherent squalor and misery.

Inequalities are as rampant now as under apartheid. As many, if not more, people are dying from Aids and other treatable diseases now, as under the old regime, and it is not demeaning to mention these problems, but necessary to show up in stark clarity the irrelevance of changing one set of leaders for another.

I do not adhere, as Mr Pender seems to do, to the cult of personality. Whether Mandela, Gandhi or a supposed God, as long as the world is owned and controlled by a tiny minority, the poverty, misery, insecurity and want, which is the lot of the majority of the world's people, will continue unabated.

Only when the world and the means of living are the common heritage of all and used in the interest of all, will the multitude of problems we face today be solved. - Steve Colborn, Seaham, Co Durham.

ARRIVA SERVICES

WHY doesn't Arriva just pack in altogether and admit defeat? The company doesn't seem to be able to keep to its timetables which are displayed at various points.

Passengers are left waiting anything from 15 to 30 minutes in the freezing cold, with some services just cancelled. We would like to know what the reason is for this behaviour.

It is high time the Minister for Transport was informed of the difficulty we are having getting transport.

It now takes an hour to get to Darlington from West Auckland due to the new route which has been planned by someone who doesn't seem to have a clue and couldn't care less.

No wonder the drivers are fed up. We used to have bus services second to none, but that is a thing of the past.

Let us have some local bus companies operating again. The sooner the better. - Mrs NM Peart, West Auckland, Co Durham.

HANGING

THE deaths within a few days of the five young prostitutes in Suffolk illustrates just how cheap human life has become in our society.

Murderous psychopaths have always been around, always will be, but there used to be an effective check on their evil propensities - the death penalty.

Since its abolition they are without any inhibitions of any kind and we are all potential victims. There is scarcely a day that you do not read of some act of wanton, seemingly senseless brutality.

As for prostitutes, these tragic young women do not stand a chance. Even by many who should know better, they are viewed as the lowest of the low. In the eyes of a vicious thug they are fair game for the enactment of murderous fantasies.

The end of hanging was a major humanitarian disaster. I have no doubt there have been thousands of preventable deaths as a direct consequence. Its restoration is a matter of extreme urgency. - Tony Kelly, Crook, Co Durham.

WELL DONE

CONGRATULATIONS to young entrepreneur Rebecca Burns, from Darlington, who was a finalist for the NatWest Enterprise Award at the recent Prince's Trust Celebrate Success awards.

Rebecca, 22, set up her arts business, Melting Pot Arts, just over a year ago. She is a shining example to other disadvantaged young people who would like to start up their own business.

It is really important for us to support young people who have set up their own business or social enterprise. As well as changing their lives, they have also played such a crucial role in helping regenerate their local community. - David Beavis, Regional Director North East, The Prince's Trust, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.