SOMETIMES I can accept that people who are vegetarians will object to game shooting, though it does strike me that they are less willing to attack the farming industry in such a vitriolic fashion. However, when I read Rose Harvie's contribution (Letters, October 13) I can only say I was stunned by her ignorance of wildlife (Letters, October 13).

It is hard to believe that anyone is so ill-informed that they would make the statement "thousands of grouse are artificially reared and then released for so called sport – sitting targets for the rich and thoughtless". Red grouse are a truly wild species which have never been reared in captivity. Anyone who has seen grouse flying would never describe them as sitting targets. Gamekeepers manage the moors to encourage the successful breeding of wild grouse, which has a massively positive effect on many other species on the amber and red lists.

Game sports have a significantly positive effect both environmentally and economically and anyone who denies this is using an argument which has nothing to do with facts and all to do with prejudice.

David Stubley, Prestwick.

FUTILE EXERCISE?

AS a long-time resident of the Cowal peninsula near Dunoon I thought it interesting to have a look at the advertisement you carried for public input to "new access to Argyll and Bute" (The Herald, October 14).

It reminded me of my enthusiastic participation when there was a somewhat similar exercise conducted with regard to the out-of-hours medical services for care by the NHS.

There is little doubt that a substantial amount of resources are applied to these exercises by way of time and paperwork. The NHS exercise, I am sad to report, did not end as anyone could possibly have imagined.

Better luck this time.

Thomas Law, Sandbank.

SLOW TO ARRIVE

WE are told that Scotland is on track for hydrogen-powered trains (" Scotland on track for hydrogen powered railways revolution", The Herald, October 14). Does anyone know what happened to the new Glasgow-Edinburgh high speed railway announced by the SNP to some fanfare in 2008? Answer. The trains never arrived, far less ran to time.

John Dunlop, Ayr.

TREASURE IN HER OWN RIGHT

CLARE Henry is to be congratulated for her obituary of Dr Helen Cargill Thompson (October 13). It captured the lady perfectly and the charming photograph showed Helen as we all remember her, taking great pleasure in her art.

I had the good fortune to know Helen for more than 40 years through her long involvement in Strathclyde University’s Graduates Association. Many members of staff at the university took a keen interest in the GA, as it was known, supporting students with extra-curricular activities and through its hardship fund. Helen succeeded me as president in the mid-1980s and continued her involvement long after her retirement.

I believe her house in Glasgow’s west end is the only surviving untouched Edwardian property in the city and will be well worth visiting when it opens in the fullness of time. Readers take note.

Colin Young, Lanark.

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN…

LATELY, following current events and the views of politicians, pundits, journalists and letter writers, it has been evident that of all the qualities one might wish to have been born with, the most beneficial would have been hindsight.

Sandy MacAlister, Shiskine, Arran.