Then my gaze goes back to the waters of the North-Esk and I think how ironic it is that in this time of water restrictions we allow this water to flow on unrestricted until it is wasted when it empties into the salt and pollution of the Tamar River.

As Launceston continues to increase in size due to building of new homes, hotels, etc water will be at a premium and water restrictions will be permanent.

Could I suggest that the Launceston Council consider installing a cluster of water tanks on the green flats and filled from the nearby Esk River?

A. Ferris, Trevallyn.

EVERYONE should read the Northern bus service review public consultation report on Metro's 2016 community consultation.

Only 16,000 leaflets (in a population of over 100,000) were distributed.

How can 16,000 be representative of this huge area? It is obvious the aim has been to run only direct routes, cutting out feeder streets, as constant mention is made of how many minutes are saved by axing the feeder streets, two minutes, five minutes, etc.

Thus school children, mums with prams, eldrly, disabled are forced to walk considerable distances, often up hills, to access the Metro service. Memo Metro: We can get down to minus five here in winter, and not everybody can safely walk these distances.

This is why many purchased where they did, so they could safely access Metro. Shame on Metro, shame on Michael Ferguson.

Carol Hill, South Launceston.

AS a professional driver for over 30 years, it was nice to see that perhaps the government was getting the message about the appalling condition of some of our roads, but two very big buts.

Firstly road building standards.

When I first came to Tasmania from the UK many years ago the one very positive thing about Tasmanian roads was the generous hard shoulder - an area when in any form of emergency, one could generally pull completely off the road out of harm's way.

Today, and I could give you multiple examples of rebuilt sections of road where the road is almost devoid of a shoulder and to make matters worse is usually has an embankment - whilst this might have some minor benefits for drainage it makes these section almost lethal if a vehicle swerves to the left, and if going at any speed at all is likely to turn over. The second but is that many of the roads that have been upgraded did not need the amount of money that has been spent on them (example: Saundridge Road, Cressy). Far better to rebuild the appalling and dangerous unsealed section of the Marlborough Highway from Great Lake.

This a major arterial road and only short link between the Lyell Highway and Launceston. This is used by tourists.

I could give you many other examples.

Paul Grigg, St Leonards.

MY WIFE was recently hospitalised at the Launceston General Hospital for a period of three weeks and was placed in Ward 5D.

The care given to her by Dr MacLaine-Cross and, in particular, by the nurses, doctors, aides and everyone there, was without doubt of the highest standard, due mainly by the devotion of the overworked staff. The ward was kept spotlessly clean and the nurses attended to every patient's needs in a timely situation. The LGH, based on Ward 5D, is among the very best in Australia, indeed of many countries, including the UK of which I have had first-hand experience. It's a tragedy that politicians of all parties continue to under-fund the health sector of the needs of this country, and the sooner a massive injection of funds is made, the sooner hospitals can be properly staffed and equipped to meet the ever-growing demands of our society.

John Edelsten, Legana.

MY WIFE and I relocated from Mandurah WA just under two years ago and love our new life. We are pensioners and are surprised at the lack of bulk billing available at doctor surgeries. The mere mention of the pension word in our previous state would, in 90 per cent of cases guarantee bulk billing and skin checks annually were always bulk billed. Mandurah is similar in size to Launceston. There were three specific bulk billing surgeries staffed by mainly Middle Eastern or African doctors that did a thriving trade and operated as successful businesses.

Given the nature of our population, the cost and difficulty of gaining appointments and our overcrowded emergency department it begs the question why have no bulk billing surgeries been set up here as they would surely thrive and fill a large gap.

Given the secrecy of our current government in many matters and the lack of accountability when it comes to political donations from all parties, perhaps there is an obvious answer to the absence of bulk billing surgeries in Launceston.

David Pinder, Prospect Vale.

I FAIL to understand Ian Macpherson's confusion at all (The Examiner, February 12).

He thinks people aren't offended at being advised to give up addictions and bad habits that could endanger their lives, but wonders why they are averse to having biblical quotes thrust upon them. The answer is blindingly obvious. The former is based on scientific evidence, while the latter is based on a personal belief.

Val Clarke, Kings Meadows.