The Journal from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England • 8

THE JOURNAL Held in poverty BRITAIN'S POOR are gnpped in a closing vice. They are embed between inflation and Governmental On tee side the soaring mat of living, wad hugely by extravagant wage -incaaaee actertad by powerful unions, I away at the reel worth their mintage become. On the other, the ties of the welfare system. and restraints on public speeding, stop benefits from keeping pace with riling prices. It la widely believed among social scientists that the poor have got poorer during Labour's six years in office.

The latest turn el the screw, according t. a report in The Sunday Times, comes from the Miniatry of Smith and Social Security. The Ministry is said to be denying many council tenants most of then old people the basic help they need to pay their rents. The supplementary benefits paid by the Ministry are Intended to guarantee everyone in the country a basically, enough to ape them to Buy food and to keep warm after paying rent. A single pensioner, for example, Is supposed to receive at least IS 6s, a week, after paying rent or its equivalent: a retired at least fli 7s.

a week. It is obvious front these sums that this is not a matter of lavish welfare but of the provision of the tneans to live. Yet some old people are not even receiving this meagre minimum. The Ministry is entitled to refuse to meet in full any rent that It regards unreasonably high. And according to The Sunday Times, the surges in local authority rents over the last two years have meant that many council tenants are being refused full help even thougit they iarylie living at subsistence level.

In other words, their income may drop below the bare minimum they need to keep alive. The elderly are particularly vulnerable, and It Is in such drcumstances that they are sometimes found starving or freezing to death in the winter months. Supplementary benefits are the last resort of the old, the disabled, the chronic sick, the fatherless families, the long-term unemployed. Our affluent society should never, In any circumstances, let these people down. It is to be hoped that any weakness caused by high rents will be repaired before next winter, so that no one is forced into making the diabolical choice between going cold, going hungry, or running the risk of eviction through rent arrow.

Self-defeating Schools Committee, a pro-comprebensive pressure group, calls for tougher Government action against local ties who fail to end selection by ability in their schools. It says funds to laggardly education authorities should be withdrawn after a named date. Any such action would do more harm than good to the comprehensive cause. reform is going to work, ft must have the goodwill of those called on to carry it out The Government itself is wrong to try to compel local authorities to end selection, but it has at least had the sense to avoid the vicious form of compulsion which the committee proposes. Withdrawal of funds would simply hurt the children it was intended to help.

Lrrivits TO THE EDITOR Must we start sex talks so young? WE WERE Interested to read (The Journal, March 17) about the burvev of the view of parents on the BBC sex education series. However. the initial comment about parents hems enthusiastic is tempered by later comments that they felt "the BBC had overexposed the whole subject o( sea" and that "11 was too early for sex education" Our interest because ire baycle4Lshildreu aged and four year. It ri thinel the tloo br ho re the age of 11. In fact 8 or has been mentioned Wlulst hoping they ulll misuse some formal Myt ic.

lion at school, wrothrnk that on education before the age of 11 is too young The pendulum seems to has swung complete!) from 20 years ago, when such education was negligible in our experience. even at geeoodst7 The pumele to tie 1.1 where the BBC at. in. Maybe we have awned the haw planations dor this deci sion to teach ea at a tender age It so. can The Journal or any reader enlighten with the basic to prove It la necessarr Then can they eitilain who encourages the BBC to make the Mae Finally.

who makes the decision to show it to the children! WR. and EMS. B. HOOD. 29 Ancaster Road.

Whickham. No apology 1 UNDERSTAND from a in The Journal. Much 17. that Cowl Klee Mary White a recent meeting of the "dna ih Rik that I spelt). gale fur saying that Botier ia an ugly village I feel very navvy for KM White for the lives In Bookler and owns Its Cara.

van Me which has been asscrlbied an eyesore in An official county report Naturally the cross about this un.elciimr pub. Hefty of opinion het environment. but I am afratd that she cannot tum her memberahtp 01 the Mn. wttk RDC as a weapon to Ode the opininns of members of the public or even the of coot. agenuit public officials THOMAS J.

CAHILL. AMmoutli, Northumberland Ruling dames MR. W. WALKER Journal, March 16) ahrle but the causes 01 war "to Ws rhalri among nonacidway powerful national Mtn' clowea who coutoodo for markets, raw Mk trade routes and speulT a Influence In 1970 Mr. Walker's 'deological bias looks, al usual.

runottoly dated. Can he define precise', the osoosically powerful ruling alasses" CIS rvAIICE like? JACK HORNSBY, South Lodge. Reines House, Chtrneide, twos. THE JOURNAL Maeda March 23 137111 Trevor Atkinson looks at the appalling lack of opportunity fir Nay subnormal youngsters The forgotten DAVID 0011DYN is a bright-eyed, dittbby fiveyear-old with a doubtful future. Hit should be at acbool.

stead be sib at home atl day. David is one of the many mentalbi retarded children who aro unable te fret phase in special care unit where they can have the education and training they desperately need. The reason Is sy Th era are haat DO enol4o or psi to go round In Sunderland a stores Is rapidly blowloff up parents accuse the council of lack or concern. of militant mothers Iwo MdOsA invite Mar M-P- Mr. Gallon Bagiatt, dm mad Macaw la public Tbs miasma will ask What going to hoopoe to our children? A cloud window on the outside world.

Many mentally handicapped children in Sunderland hare no to go to special schools. What can be done about it? Fears Sunderland has only one local authority training centre for junior and adult mentsily haredcapped, at Humblecion. It is full and there ti a long waiting hat. The only is to up root the children from home to Weenie resident patients hospital at Prudhoe. 25 miles away.

Assurances by Mina Alice Bacon, lOnister of State for Education and Scienc4 that once a Govemmest SIN betimes law Mere will he plenty of school Maces. have done little to quell parents' fears. The SUL te treader resPonalbatty for the education of lly handicapped children from entam the health to the education service is to be presented to Parliament shortly. Heartbreak It's heavy work keeping fit for the stage AMONG the muscular body-builders In the first floor Newcastle gymnasium, Neville Jesse, dark, slim and smelling just slightly of after shave, looked very out of place. But Jason has been going there three times a week for the peat forW So the weightlifters homed.

groaned and sweated without paying him the lightest bit of notice. Nerthe Jason la an actor the moment the Ni.eartae Playham production of Kin Me Kate. The Asko to the ant an aseattal pan et his trainee' to keep tor what Is a eery strenuous Vietebt tiskilog for actors. Was, of course." mpg 3.5-7earold Jason. "An 110(0r must be plOsitallY 'llte greatest exponent of this.

of course, is Sir Learesee Olivier." Jason has stlyi of Pail suonerves to hie nitne. Lapointe In the teieviaion ernes. Sebastian ln Night at the Old Robert I. the htt Robert and Eliza. poette iw Bras.

blusinala are Ma M.t love. lie la phamana to broaden his singing expert- But for Sunderland mothers the problem is facing them today. and they want positive action now. David's mother. Mrs.

Maureen Calera, a ship. yard fitter's wife, who lives in Noettaw SziMwo ease with a eightalub tour, porsibly In the North-East. end nurturer aribttion to appear In opera. And for all tab. Physical Wags is vary important "1 'tool make a fend' out of tt.

but I'm mure that I perform better because feet batter. Acting tam a lot out of you, YOU know In fine ME bin of tare at this pees mouse at the Theatre Royal In Newcastle neat month congas of Cavaneria and Rantierrl. both produced by Teat thnetcre who eras region. elbie for last season's glittering and much praised Aida Hawke. became widely known for his work as a naff producer with Sedler's Wells The past year has seen a revival of 11l production of Madam Rutter fly at the London Coliseum, Moran', Cod Fan Tutte for the English Opera For All A cunning Croup a nt The Itlrk at sztrPiodued The British premiere of Verdi.

little known opera Alan at ae tTas been him. London. Hawke self very buoy Mace Aida. Face value i ilo 101 et OK fatale. Gmforth.

thoultht he bad a Oda to a but he didn't. So he lust The coin In question was a the new penny piece. nfortinuitely, through soave hammy machinery at the Royal Mint, the Queen's "ad was upside dawn. Mr hitclige, scenting a small fortune, spent Monday night comparing his coin with the stock kept for the electrinitY meter. The Queen" bead was definitely ray awry.

But 447 Come Om eii7rt said the live new penny piece was worth hurt dant "Due to mass produetaon techniques there are a great number of faults in new don to their value" Today's Thought Chnsem Dy the Rev. Harold A. YOW, of the Pnr.bideriari re of li oid. North Middleton aanglon. AlorPri 7 he has borne our Imes nisi coiled our Lapointe in the Maigret television swiss.

I. Some tam later (S. 1, S. M. Tao 1.4 of the risarors thread to regret to Eng.

song 11, I In In. ash. Ins nett IU Wight hit make With bare bodkin' W. 11. At with pet awarder 11.

Leorittlirt. for 740. 14. Worts too hard to bathe In shiF le. Rune well ennuye (I).

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12. Sint 17, Novel, 14. Obel, IS, lOW 20, Oslo. Solo on Monday THERE are very many swindles in this world, and 1 am about to announce a new one. Although I am extending invitations to anyone to take part in this misfile.

I have to my at once I shall not benefit from it financially myself. I expect to waste a lot of time, which, I believe. is money. My Invitation is for anyone to send me a sample of his hatxhrriting of 25 to 50 words, for an analysis. I shall then write 25 to 50 words in reply, provided I am sent a stamped addressed envelope, and 100113 The money, cheque or postal order, should be made payable to one of two charities: either the Newspaper Press Fund, or the Widows and Orphans Fund of the National Union of Journn.

The sum should not be less than but if anyone sends more the offer will be appreciated. But the length of the lug analysis will be neither longer nor shorter than if only the minimum of Ivo bob is mot. The charities are good ones. The offer ends on Parch 27, and I am making it because I have just sent away. five bob for a handwriting analysts, and the result is not remarkable.

Anyone in the fun fair busbless. which I have dabbled in Teo, ff bes heard of the And I have Just had a tidaoff returned This Is a chart with lots of qualities listed such as truthful, frank and so on. Fitnedve qualities, good, bad and indifferent, are on the chart, sad eight of 'bens have been ticked off. There are also some written comments, in large, scrawly hand. Anne the pasts flaked art on my chart le on, that mays: "A real due type et Character." This 'haply is not true ot me.

I as not a real, dim type, although I am sure that the woman who ticked It off thought that sbe would please me. I am merely irritated. "Generous" gets a tick, and se does "extravagant and "adaptable." Am I a musicdoyen Not In I dev "markedoted wv, esi nor re to have a learn." The dart makes a loose Matson jacket for air ahorecans. and its only whers It touches. Stubborn The written comments are more interesting.

"A rapid, clear-cut nand" Is true. Irritable? Yes, yes, often enough. But I do not love I simply regard it as a tedious namely and a good that people Blimp for me Fug possess. I have no great desire to possess efficiency No, no. I am not practical, but "good mental ability with a tendenq to leap In.

fectly me. As the conclusions I leap to are usually right, I regard leaping for them a virtue, to fact. I find that people who have to work out all the reasons step by step to reach a similar conclusion drive me slightly out of my mind with impatience I enjoy Lupins to conclusions about the character of people from their haadwrittni The woman who au sed mine shows In er rounded scrawl a certain stubborn naivety. She Is fairly phlegmatic. net overcritical discerning.

I think that she probably lass a certain flair for imallaing handwriting due to a primitive impressionability or reliance upon her native instincts. There Is not much wrong with native instincts if they are applied in enn. Junction with a (Mutat intelligence. Moat of us are not I enough In the next few days shall he pleased to apply my pnnuttce instincts In samples of handwriting sent together with cash for either of two chartable causes. Pumping starts at death quarry fffit Nabors Staff THREE high-powered pumps yesterday began draining almost 50000,000 gallons of water from a quarry where two boys died at the weekend.

The automatic purn pa can remove up to 200,000 agleam an hoer between theta. They will be operating round the desk to dear the quarry Mill Lane. Hebburn. but It will take about week to finish the job. The draining of the quarry, owned by the brickmaking firm of Jones Brothers (Thlaw) Ltd.

was to bare started last week but there wee a )rives arm's director. Ilr Thosaas ma contacted ScottlA Lad Pampa Lot lan Tuesday and asked them to carry out the drainage A problem for star actor Neville Jana as he worts oat in a Newcastle gym. "An actor mast be physically fit. I far sere 1 perform better I feel better," he says. Jason was helped on Ilse long haul to the top by his role as move south REYNARD the fox will be the only inhabitant of the Tyne Valley Owed to see Mr.

Incline! Austin For Mr. Austin. Master Social and I personal Mhelve Cal acrly Miraln. son i onu rslajo i C. Bealckt.

Hertslure, and 61 J. Heiricke, Hall. Alntele k. and Teresa. daughier Mrs.

ossnin WIG4IIO Fall 7he ertgaiternent onrungrired between elder Km .1 Mr row( Mrs. A. II W. I' of the Manor 16 Wholt.m 50 wad Penelope, doughtar ot the lair Lieu! Co.mantkr Melting, and Mn R. F.

lngoldhy, of Old fluraledon, ilantpsimre of the Braes of Derwent Hunt for the past two years, to soon to leave for his farm in Devon. Hu parting will be mourned by the devoted members of the Braes of Derwent. who ride three tapes a week aloneside Mr. Austin in pursuit of their wily red friend. The hunters of the Tyne Valley say he ta the beet Master the Bran have ever seen.

A Motley Bridge man who has followed the hunt ever shire he was a boy said: "Mr. Austin is one of the best sport the valley has seen. "He shays manages to get a fox out of cover and he one of the few Masters that will. hunt tdl dusk Yr. Austin came to Northumberland years from his tarn in Devon to pima the foxes of the North His raison for going South again? Our clunifte proved too sloth.

4 (RSV) CROSSWORD PUZZLE children Arlington Street. Palioa has two other children in movies to cope wtth. "But I'm not looklng for break from all the work. I want something that's gang to benedt David," she said He should be rsome form et education tlag eeadi him away to Prudhoe ng ould be iirthreale Mrs. Doreen Robeoes, of Lincoln Street, Million, has been told that her tour-yeargad Joaailmm may have to go to She lays: "I consider that mad unfair.

We can two him all the love and attention he weak but we are unable to provide the tralatuig that to neceleary. Voluntary "Why. oh, why. Is It that In a town Stinderiand, which bas Just pest many thousands of pounds on new town centre and great blocks of data, no can be given to there less fortunate children "Toe only other In the town where mentally hand l. capped children can receive special training is a creche run voluntarily by the Sunderland Society for Mentally Handicapped Children.

It Is at Temple Metwarin pardon Read. The mothers say that were It not for Mr. and Mrs. George 'Monter, the society's secretary abd chaltmen, and their Wizen. they would have no aselstanee whatever.

Mr, renter told me that Temple snia osouranagii no cost to tbot local sutherity. Touching The seed for another centre hid been urgent for years. "The love and devotion showered on these otticrs andterst their parents, and br slaters, la touching, but there are many things which as be dose oak, in porpoewbuilt premises and with very special facilities which are not possible in the home. "Erselisei es Me Prudhoe hospital undoubtedty the tact rewind that there should be er in: a rs sattabie facilities in so that the children at lent live in their own homes, for which there Is no real substitute." In the at: years that the voduntary centre has been open, 11 chtldsva have passed through Thig, however. la only an "oasis In the according to Yr.

Forrtert wife. Iry. "The problem is bigger than moat peopk realise. The mere exigence of our centre Is helping to serve the sanity of many nto" she said. Flexible Prudhoe and Nonkton Hospital, about 300 plates for mentally handicapped chtlitren.

Is the kneel of its kind In the Northern 'teem The hospital's physician Napa intendent, Dr. Isis Fraser, spoke of the impending legislation. "The difference it will make la that children will not be set apart as uneducable, There will be much more duidltzr and lied try hen everything Is under 006 "The ptob Is more acute in Sun probablY ofte gt the wilt glares to area. In many cases mothers are grossly over-protective of their chddren and are frightened to let them jo. "Al we encourage parents to Ault their children.

There are no vidting hours: they can caw am time they want Sunderland CouncLl have In fact plan on the "Wailes or a now centre at Carley 11111 to eater for about 50 children. Allan Inannan. chair- Men of the health committee. said: "At the moment we are altghtly up a gum tree because can.commit any woject until this Parliamentary teed'. non la through." Which is the mothers of Sunderland's mentally handlcanned atildren are eo anger to meet the people whe con help to give Parliament a push.

Stanley Hurwitz Rescue bid But their moat powerful pump was already at Tees side on an Mr. lan Harrower, manager of Scottish Land Pumps, of Bartley said: "II is very sad that OM impede had to happen when wort on the drainage was In hand? The boys. wbo died wink playing, were Martin Downey. aged CravAey Avenue, reei ol and of David Ram thaw, of KW Lane wilt tried to revue his friend. Firemen tried for 4( seqoutoo to revive the bar ambulance men gave the kin of life.

Mr. Harrower said: 'AI the water drawn trod the quarry le going down drain into the River Tyne It took us 12 hours to ge pumping fully into bettor because on pemp had to rushed up from bu now everVilinig Is at ful North poet for Italy The poet Jai la off on a three-weel trip to Italy shortly "spread the word" at number of the country' universities tiiWte i uie mar Kr. BUkt wW give pose" residings a the universities of oiolllll Turin and Roane and at lb Relish Language School DM filtitongh poen" reading are now won entabllsbed Britain the Ides Is (aid novel in Rate. and Mr. Silki will be one of the fin British poets to She reading them All-in Bill 'to THE GOVERNMENTS at ending selection in caned today for being It does not go far enoi Marchers remember massacre Ily Reporter MARCHERS held a demos stratton through New castles crowded cht shopping area on Satur day, the 10th annlvertar, of the South SharpestHe Almost 200 paopl assembled at the Cents railway station and stela through the alty to Um Ha market, handing thononda cd witlwpordw leaflets to watehle shoppers Ate meeting in the Hi market a mayoralty Malin Mr.

Gavin Williame. warn "South Africa could Bronzes Vietnam. we not atop trading with SOU Africa and cohlinne sapper Mg the tin ble guerilla forces may Mersa their activity. Ws woo then have to eupport unpopular regime After speeches marchers dispersed and lel police spokesman sal 'The niarchem behav themselves well and Momvenilmee to Creek pedestrians was minimal Blaze mystery Berwicitehim police MI called last night to lova gate mystery bi blaze at smallholding nt Berwick- The manhole the outbreak ur arrived. Paws THE tail wagging brigs( In London's strangest dog walk.

For lour-t wallues with light rel For the -organtsert, cash towards flatlets ac people. Each "runner" Palace racing from sponsors. r' i I 4.r a ((fr IMMOMEMMIMMIM II II MEMMIUM MUMIMMI MAMA MUM II II II I I I lIMMIMMINIMMUM Se fashionable This Spring tom short stay at Imo et tha few C.C.H. Herds CAW iiisMos 341 NYIE T.I. MA Ittividt 2451.

fratt Vlfr Ti! Um 2311. IW No 81111. SPECIAL settitit; RAM 4 0, 1 SUPERB Mrs Sommervilte 4sca Sr TN 011-21 4211.1 O. Teo. 71141 ye.