Scrap these useless laws
Last updated at 13:30, Thursday, 08 July 2010
HOW good it is to hear the toon clock ‘chopping’ again after several weeks of silence.
I’ve missed it no end and had become worried that maybe there had been pressure to have it stopped from these living near it, in particular the hotels in the High Street where guests must find it annoying.
I find its sound reassuring and really useful during the night when I don’t have to put on a light to check the time. I just lie waiting for the next hour to sound.
Thinking of the toon clock reminded me of a plant which takes its name from the edifice because of the shape of the flower head. Its flowers are arranged like the faces of a cube or a town clock except that there is a fifth side facing skywards.
I used to see this rare pant, known as Moschatel, in only one place in the valley, along Bagra and each year I’d check along the side of the track, in one specific area, to see whether it was still there.
But this year I couldn’t find it. It’s a small flower, inconspicuous because of its green colour which makes it difficult to spot amongst the vegetation. It’s also known as the five-faced bishop.
I do hope it hasn’t gone, although I don’t hold out much hope for its survival because I saw vehicle tracks where it used to grow. Maybe it’s suffered the same fate as the rare bird’s nest orchid which disappeared from the side of the Tarras road after it had been used as a diversion when the Auchenrivock bypass was built.
A neighbour handed in a copy of Friday’s Daily Express for me to read an article in which the River Esk was mentioned. Yes, it’s the ongoing controversy over fishing rights on our river.
The headline on the article is Scrap these useless laws.
It says that, after 13 years of Labour having made our lives a misery, restricting freedom and punishing farmers, the Daily Express is starting a crusade to ensure their nonsense rules are repealed.
The paper points out some of the daftest regulations under which we suffer are that it’s illegal to: own a horse, donkey or Shetland pony without possessing a passport carrying a picture of the animal; play the piano in a pub without an entertainment licence; play conkers unless children are wearing protective eye-wear; put flowers next to a hospital bed in case it leads to infection; fish in the River Esk without authorisation.
And here’s one that could get many of us into trouble: it’s illegal to put up a hanging basket in case it falls on someone’s head.
There is a faint glimmer of hope for our anglers after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg issued ‘a call to arms’ asking the public to nominate the worst regulations and promising that the best suggestions will be “taken into account” in legislation due in the autumn.
So let’s all get writing to Westminster with our most important suggestion.
I wonder whether there’s a piece of legislation which could force the Ford Mill site owner to tidy up the eyesore he’s left to the town.
One resident, who’d already been seen cutting part of the hedge, wrote to the owner to complain, yet again, about the hedge and the general state of the site. She received a reply to the effect that work would be done in two weeks’ time. I said: “I won’t hold my breath, Avril.” That was two weeks ago and what’s been done? We’ll soon have a hedge to compete in height with the famous Meikleour beech hedge in Perthshire.
Be sure not to miss the opening of the art club summer exhibition in the town hall gallery next Wednesday at 7.30pm. Not only can you pick up a bargain painting but, at the same time, pick up a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles with a chance of winning in the raffle a painting donated by Langholm artist Julie Dumbarton.
First published at 21:37, Wednesday, 07 July 2010
Published by http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk
