Dear Editor,

You can hardly bear to read your local paper these days because of the scathing printed expressions of bitterness and discontent.

It seems almost everyone wants to put the boot into the council - and even the hint that the council might have the gall to fight back with a publication of its own has produced howls of outrage (how dare they!).

Even business leaders are fair game. Put forward an idea and, as Graeme Day found, people soon pour scorn upon it.

Come on fellows; let's get back to attacking the ball, not the player. Otherwise, we'll end up with the community leadership we deserve - because no one will want to take on a job that exposes them and their families to undeserved reproach of the worst kind.

As always, Harry Graves says just the right thing (SHN Friday June 21):

"Within the garden of humanity the humblest flower has leave to grow and those who care can accomplish miracles by doing what they can when and where they can. When ordinary mortals adopt that approach the world is transformed, people's hearts are gladdened and nations become strong and stable and buoyant."

So, fellow Southern Highlanders, lighten up and cheer up, and lets be a little kinder to each other.

Yours faithfully,

Garry Barnsley,

Bowral.