Letters to the Editor

The need for speed cameras, blood donations and animal welfare

The cattle involved in the double fatal truck crash at Jackadgery.

THE NEED FOR SPEED CAMERAS

MR Brown (DEX front page 22/01/18) is right. Speeding trucks and cars fly through Ulmarra which is only 50km limit.

The RMS should put speed monitoring cameras in like they did in Urunga. They can put speed cameras in Woodburn and there is one at Wardell, so why not Ulmarra? There has been at least six accidents that I know of in the 50km limit on the bend into Ulmarra north bound.

The RMS should get their act together before some one gets killed, especially the houses close to the bend.

David Morgan, Ulmarra

POSITIVE MOVE FOR BLOOD DONOR

I WOULD like to recommend any past blood donors from Grafton who have not donated blood since the closure of the service at the Grafton Base Hospital to recommence donating blood at Coffs Harbour.

I was one of those who stopped after 40 donations due to the closure of the Grafton service a couple of years ago. After reading the story of Holly in The Daily Examiner last week, I decided that it was time to get over the fact that I could not donate blood at Grafton and go to Coffs Harbour.

It was a great experience, even after trying to find the Blood Service at the Coffs Harbour Hospital which actually operates out of the Home Base shopping centre right across the road from Park Beach Plaza.

I would like to say that the staff at the Red Cross Blood Service were great and made my daughter, who donates plasma, and myself feel very welcome and they were happy to chat and make the experience memorable.

It is a wonderful facility and the manager, John Sullivan was on hand to welcome us as well. He told me he was moved by Holly's story and many Grafton residents had been returning to donate blood as a result.

I would especially like to thank the lady volunteer who looked after us and gave us a great afternoon tea with lots of extras, sorry I do not know your name but you have been volunteering for three years with the blood service and you were awesome.

So if you have been a blood donor or would like to be a blood donor and have ever visited Park Beach Plaza and I know just about everyone in Grafton has at some time, think about visiting the Red Cross Blood Service just across the road at the Home Base.

I know Holly would thank you.

David Mackey, Grafton.

ANIMAL FRAILTY

I AGREE with Jenny Moxham's letter (DEX 19/01/18) "Trucking collision tragic reminder" that this is not the first such catastrophe involving cattle nor will it be the last.

Animals unlucky to be caught up in our food chain feel pain and stress during transportation and slaughter. They know by the smell and screams of death their turn is next.

Our only course of action is as Jenny said, to make humane choices every time we shop and "... given we have so many delicious and wholesome non-animal foods at our fingertips these days here is no justification for harming any animals".

Diane Cornelius, Seacliffe Park, SA.

Originally published as Letters to the Editor