The toxic mix of animals, sport and gambling must be stopped.

The endemic live animal baiting used to "blood' the dogs and make them chase the lure has been going on for generations.

The self-regulation of the industry can never protect the welfare of these gentle, innocent animals, when they are exploited for profit.

The greyhounds involved must be safely and expediently re-homed.

Lastly, the breeding and export of greyhounds must be curbed.

Commendations go to the brave animal advocates who have exposed this vile industry for what it is.

Without them, the public would still be in the dark.

OVER the past week, we've had much debate in the DA about parking in Fitzmaurice Street, menacing potholes everywhere and the pros and cons of greyhound racing, among other topics.

On a more sobering note, this week saw the centenary of the Battle of Fromelles, where thousands of young Australian men armed only with a gun and bayonet came up against the German army, armed with machine guns.

Nearly 2000 Australians lost their lives in one night. Puts talk about pot holes and parking into perspective.

IT MAY be of interest to your readers to know about an extensive soil study that was done in Wagga in the 1970s.  

It probably will come as no surprise to anyone to know the study indicated that large areas of the city were not suitable for road building, thus we have the problem that exists regarding road stability.

Add to that the fact that for many years the availability and quality of suitable road base material has been a challenge to say the least.

The engineering staff of council must be very frustrated by the current battle to carry out repairs, particularly in this wet winter.

As we negotiate the pothole challenge, we should give a thought to the workers trying to fix the pothole problem.

AN OPEN letter to Mike Baird.

I write to you personally to make you aware of the recent proclamation merging the shires of Cootamundra and Gundagai.

It can only be described as a ridiculous action.

It followed two council Boundary Review sessions in Gundagai presided over by delegate John Turner, who went on to recommend the merger, asserting that only a small percentage of the shire was against the merger and that the majority of the population did not have a strong attitude one way to another.

The delegate has seriously misrepresented the Gundagai community and his assertion is without foundation – plain ridiculous.

The delegate presided over two review sessions, each attended by about 400 people.

I heard almost all of the submissions, noting names and points considered.

Ninety-five per cent of the submissions were voiced against amalgamation.

For the delegate to recommend merger, when he knew that there was overwhelming opposition to it, is absolutely and utterly beyond belief.

​The decision must be reversed.