YET another insult to our intelligence by Police Scotland - house-breakers will face "up to" five years if convicted over the festive period (Evening Times, December 16).

What then? Why not a minimum of five years? That's a real deterrent.

Remember the "up to" four years for carrying a knife? Enough said.

It's time we reviewed the "punishment". The Oxford dictionary defines punishment as 'harsh treatment'. Aye right.

Three meals a day, first class accommodation, digital TV, leisure facilities and taxpayers footing the bill for family visits.

Come on Chief Constable, give the "law abiders" a break.

Name and address supplied

Weighty issue

I RECEIVED a card from the Post Office stating an item sent to me had underpaid postage on it.

The underpayment was 9p, and they proposed to charge me £1 for handling. Various methods were suggested for me to collect the item.

I chose to go to my local Post Office and asked the lady in charge if today was April 1 when I handed over the card, and queried the ridiculous charge.

She produced a Christmas card as the item in question and held it against her measuring device. She then told me that the stamp on the envelope was perfectly adequate and that she would reject the demand for £1.09.

It doesn't say much for the intelligence of some employee or the efficiency of a machine that they can't use the measuring instruments designed by themselves.

Allan Green Millport

Sole salary

WITH regard to MPs' salary increase, the case for a meaningful rise in payment would have more weight if this was the only source of income for our representatives.

They probably should be awarded an increase which makes their salary commensurate with the importance of their position but they should have to relinquish all other sources of income such as directorships.

M Forsyth Glasgow