In my opinion some of the modern day police boys and girls would not bruise a grape when it come to a major altercation. I realise they are all now heavily armed, but some of these police kids don't look like they could carry their artillery for more than 20 paces. Sadly, I believe that's why the same respect is no longer there.

Say what you like, but a big man still commands more respect than someone my size when it comes to a confrontation. I mean no disrespect to the hard working police of today, but size does matter.

THIS week two young female jockeys, Melanie Tyndall and Mikaela Claridge, died after falls in Victoria and Darwin (ABC 31/8).

Horse racing's continuing problems continue to shock and horrify even those who profit from it. Humans are not the only victims of this vile industry. On average, one horse will die on Australian race tracks every three days.

Why all this carnage? To entertain and extract money from the public. Racing is a business and racehorses and jockeys their raw materials.

Racehorses regularly suffer from injuries, lameness, and exhaustion. Horses are whipped and forced to run at break-neck speeds and may be given painkillers, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory drugs to keep them running.

All this leads to falls, broken legs and death.

Any death on the race track is tragic and unnecessary. But at least jockeys have the choice to be involved.

For most of the horses, except for the tiny minority who win big money, there is no choice but a cruel, painful and untimely death.

ROBERT Dillon ('It's a no-win situation', Herald 31/8), left one scenario out of his analysis: what if the Knights had decided to wait until the end of the season before making any moves on Nathan Brown?

In allegedly deciding to sound out other coaches, they surely were not naive and silly enough to think that the grapevine would not soon kick in and word wouldn't filter back to Brown.

A decision to sound out coaches would do nothing but signal to Brown that he was considered expendable.

Perhaps coaches should always consider themselves expendable, but I believe the Knights' management showed extreme disrespect if they were looking around at what was a crucial time in the season.

I fear Andrew Johns was correct ('Joey blasts Knights officials', Herald 26/8).

RELIEF over the deferral of the Bath Street project in Toronto ('Foreshore project on hold', Herald 28/8) should be tempered with cautious attention.

The prolonged community opposition to the proposed six-storey development on precious foreshore land should be recognised by all councillors. A key role for councillors is to represent and listen to their community.

The community has consistently argued that the Bath Street site be improved as public parkland, and for incorporation of this land with the rest of the foreshore in the master planning process.

The 150 people in the gallery at the council meeting this week heard that the multi-storey building project has been deferred. This does not mean scrapped.

The mayor has admitted that the six-storey building was a mistake and that she will now listen to the community. Isn't it time for all councillors to move on and embrace a better planning process to get the best outcome for Toronto?

There is a local election next year. We must all make those standing for election accountable for how they will be representing the wishes of their community.

Ask them are they in favour of building high rise on the foreshores around the lake, and what strategies do they have in place for getting the Bath Street site rezoned as community land in perpetuity?

I READ Sue Jansson's letter (Letters, 30/8) with interest. I have had occasion to attend Lake Macquarie City Council meetings and have also watched the council webcasts and I have observed what I believe to be regular disruptive antics from Cr Baker and Cr Pauling.

In my opinion it is a concern that these two men behave in a way that does not bring credit to them or their party and, from my observations, does not assist in the efficiency and effectiveness of the council meetings.

In regard to the Bath Street Toronto development ('Foreshore project on hold', Herald 28/8) I believe the council has made the right decision in deferring the project.

The community will now be consulted regarding future options for this parcel of land as part of the Toronto master plan.

We will now have the opportunity to see and hear the views of the people of Lake Macquarie. I congratulate the mayor and the councillors who supported the decision.

I STATED in my reply (Letters, 28/8) to Mark Creek's letter calling anyone who questioned Supercars as being a whinger (Letters, 24/8) that as a resident I wouldn't be applying for permission, in the form of a wristband, from a private company to gain entrance to my home, no matter how much this private company and Mr Creek insist that it is for my own good.

I also wrote that Supercars was using resident numbers to inflate their attendance figures, as shown by Destination NSW data ('Race hits state target', Herald 3/7/18).

There was no mention of regular attendees not wearing wristbands.

I'll repeat, residents can show a drivers' licence and non-residents can still use the wristband. Those residents who want to apply for wristbands are still able to do so if they so wish.

It's really not that hard to understand, or to supervise.

It also appears now that because a letter was written from Cooks Hill (Letters, 28/8), which is outside the precinct, the writer's opinion is worthless to Mr Creek. Last time I looked, Adamstown wasn't in the race precinct either.

As for my asking for council to reveal the complete costs of the Supercars fiasco, I'd love to hear your reasons why they shouldn't.

WHILE our superiors debate the entitlement of a compact, valued family unit to contribute demonstrably to a tiny far western hamlet that most of us couldn't point to on a map ('PM won't intervene for Tamil family', Newcastle Herald 3/9) and this hapless quartet appears on our TV screens and in our papers, we have to put up with the embarrassment of Mr Kyrgios on the international stage ('Kyrgios searches for answers after exit', Herald 3/9) and his constant, petulant photographs that adorn the sports pages. Something's gone badly wrong with our values.

ON Sunday I attended the protest Let Them Stay in Newcastle ('Rally calls for family to stay', Herald 2/9). My last career was with the then Department of Community Services as an educator and a case worker with abused children and those in care.

At the rally, I met a current case worker with an agency. We despaired at the treatment of these two little children, especially the two-year old. This is a critical time in her development and disruption can leave permanent scars.

If the government believes it must deport this family ('PM won't intervene for Tamil family', Herald 3/9) and appeals have no affect, please, get on with it. End the torture of this family, especially the children. If, however, it has any Christian or other charity, let them return to Biloela.

A LETTER by an unnamed author published in the Herald (Letters, 31/8) correctly describes the operation of the give way to the right rule but fails to mention that there are so many exceptions to it that it rarely if ever applies in the city or suburbs.

Certainly it does not apply at the intersection of Kenrick and Smith streets which has Stop signs, or at least did when the photographs on Google Maps were taken.

I FELT despair when I saw beautiful old trees cut down at Tanilba Bay to make way for boats and caravans.

I felt despair when I saw beautiful old trees cut down along Nelson Bay Road, near Anna Bay, to make roads wider for tourists.

I felt despair when I saw the amount of trees cut down to make a new road entry along Nelson Bay Road near Fern Bay. I feel despair for the environment, the wildlife, my grandchildren and the planet.

Surely this is not progress. If trees are to be cut down, they need to be replaced somewhere else.

AUTOCRATIC. It is a good word, look it up. I believe it is the best word to describe City of Newcastle after the way they have handled the Maritime Museum ('Bath wipes his hands of maritime museum', Herald 28/8), Supercars, parking and other issues.

CESSNOCK Prostate Cancer Support Group will meet on September 26 at Cessnock Leagues Club to mark Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The group will offer a presentation creating awareness and offering greater insight on management and treatment options. Call Barry on 4990 4554 or 0457 073 852.