I found myself in the city centre with meagre coins for the hungry meter. I deposit the one 10 cent piece that I have into the meter and tell myself, it is after 4.30pm, surely I won't get booked now.

Silly me. I dash into the shop, and I am proud of how little time that actually took. Imagine my horror when I rush back to my car and I have a ticket.  In fact, the council worker who booked me is only two cars away.

As I have not received a parking ticket for several years, I was horrified that it was for $25. When did that happen? 

Add to my dismay the fact that I was booked two minutes before and that it was eight minutes before the end of the parking time.

Maybe it is time that the City of Launceston council installed electronic meters so that we are never caught short and then maybe we can pay for the time we parked. 

The punishment does not fit the crime.

Tania Venn, Youngtown.

I AM writing to express my sincere appreciation to everyone in Tasmania who gave generously to The Smith Family’s 2017 Winter Appeal.

This year we had exceptional support from the Australian public, raising more than $4.6 million nationally to help thousands of disadvantaged children across the country with their education.

For the 1.1 million young Australians living below the poverty line, staying engaged at school and keeping up with their peers can be extremely challenging.

Without educational support and extra resources, they may never reach their potential and are more likely to experience hardship as adults.

Funds raised from our Winter Appeal will help nearly 11,000 disadvantaged Australian children with the extra learning support they need, through our reading programs, after-school Learning Clubs and online mentoring program.

I would like to thank each and every individual who made a donation. 

Your help will have a direct, lasting impact on disadvantaged children here in Australia, giving them the best chance possible to break the cycle of poverty and create a better future for themselves.

Lesley Mackay, Tasmania general manager, The Smith Family.

IT IS good news for Launceston that the state government is beginning to address our river’s woes.  There are three major problems with this river.  

Firstly it receives raw sewage on far too many occasions leaving the river in a highly polluted state.

Secondly it is subject to silt build-up and thirdly it suffers from a lack of water flowing down the Gorge.

These problems should be addressed in that order with every effort made to overcome sewage entering the river.  

This is the major problem -  to ensure that only tertiary treated effluent enters the river and that solids are kept out.

I applaud our government’s takeover initiatives which will finally lead to the river becoming the wonderful playground it should be. We have waited far too long.

Dick James, Launceston.

Fantastic effort by the Old Scotch football club in presenting $10,000 donation to Epilepsy Tasmania.

If the Old Scotch football club is so anti-social maybe more clubs should be too, it obviously helps win premierships (four in a row) and raise lots of money, which can go to worthy charities instead of paying players ridiculous amounts.

Steve Frankcombe, Perth.