In Melbourne vandalism, inexcusable as it is, is caused not only by drugs and unemployment, but by a vast panorama of social frustrations including congestion on roads and on public transport, the high cost of high density living, ethnic tensions and late night liquor licensing.

Stawell is troubled by none of these inclusions which makes acts of vandalism, such as the poisoning of the grass on our showplace racecourse, seem more senseless and heartbreaking.

Someone out there knows who did it and I for one would be happy to contribute to any reward that was offered for information leading to an arrest.

Thanks to the generosity of the Stawell Racing Club, the Lindsay Kent Memorial Fun Run at the racecourse on Easter Sunday will still go ahead, but the atmosphere on this occasion, knowing that a race meeting, for the first time, won't follow will feel spooky and hollow. Is the new running track now safe?

How angry do I feel? Well, I don't believe in an eye for an eye, but if it is acceptable that the cars of hoons can by law be crushed, why stop there?

Keith Lofthouse