Page 5 - Phonebox Magazine March 2010

HAVE YOUR SAY
Letters Dear Sir/Madam
I’ve just been reading in the Phonebox the piece that Tony Evans unkindly wrote about the Market Traders not working the first Thursday of the new year.
I’ve lived in the Olney area all my life (61 years) and I’ve never seen much market on the first week of the new year. I don’t think there is a problem as these lovely people work hard every week of the year in all weathers and I don’t consider them letting anyone down. It’s a bit like saying they don’t deserve a break.
I noticed that Tony Evans wasn’t on the Market Place this week (4th Feb) selling his raffle tickets for the ‘Pancake Race’. What’s the matter Tony? Afraid of the cold or the earache you will get from the traders?
All business is quiet after Christmas, including turkey and chicken farmers.
This kind of statement could affect your status in life.
Yours sincerely Local Resident
(Name and address supplied)
Dear Editor
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the latest letter from J.B. of Olney regarding the shooting near Emberton Park.
Firstly may I say how pleased I was to read that you now agree with the shooting of wild birds as a sustainable and ethical source of food.
Now to address the main points of your last letter, “targeting of birds whilst within the confines of the park.” For the purpose of this argument we are referring to “birds” as ducks and geese or to use their collective name “wildfowl”. The clue is in the word...wild. These birds are wild they are not the property of any one person and are free to go where they please. Emberton Park provides shelter for them when they land. However when they fly out of the park they become legal quarry for anyone with the appropriate permission and licences. As birds are shot in flight it is impossible to target a bird within the confines of anywhere let alone the park.
Most people that shoot go to great lengths to ensure they are safe within their sport. This entails following best codes of practice for shooting, training days and education. When out shooting and a member of the public is within view I would expect anyone shooting to unload their gun, put it in its slip out of view and if possible talk to the walker and tell them what they are doing.
In your letter you say, “Those that conserve also have the right to destroy.” To back your argument you say if you fight to save the rain forests you have the right to chop down the trees. An excellent point but put into context this would be equivalent to planting one million trees and cutting down one, is this destruction...? No! Its conservation. There is also an extreme example of conservation where a whole species of wildfowl is protected and can only be killed and eaten by one person...yes her majesty and her swans.
You state the case of Peter Scott who became a knight after his conservation work with the wildfowl and wetlands trust. I too am a compassionate and sympathetic person who does not want to see suffering to any animal. Animal welfare is very important to me but I believe a greater deal of attention should be given to charities and organisations that help children and others who are suffering from whatever means. If only people like J.B. of Olney could channel some of their efforts into these worthy causes.
Yours sincerely A. Gunn, Ransen
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Phonebox Magazine 5