Hundreds, perhaps thousands of Salvationists, who wish to remain true to the Christian principles of the founders William and Catherine Booth, are now leaving the organisation.

My grandmother was a captain in Booth’s time, my parents were married by the army, as was one niece and like so many, I have supported their work over decades.

The official statement by Major Dr Geoff Webb ends this connection for me.

This is the saddest day in the history of a truly wonderful global Christian movement, which served God and humanity valiantly in wartime and peace since the 19th century.

How have the mighty fallen in Victoria.

ROBERT WORTHINGTON

Warracknabeal

THIS year, for the first time in five years, the value of Victoria’s food and fibre exports fell.

In 2015-16, exports totalled $11.9 billion. Last year they exceeded $12 billion.

Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said it was “outstanding” but the results are actually a wake-up call for the city-centric Labor government.

Victoria is Australia’s powerhouse of food and fibre exports, making up 26 per cent of the national total, but there must be more investment in country Victoria to maintain and grow these important industries.

Labor’s neglect of regional Victoria, including our crumbling country roads, is making it harder to do business and get our agricultural products from paddock to port.

It is vital there is more funding allocated to fixing and maintaining the country road network and Labor must move forward with the Murray Basin Rail project.

Victoria also cannot afford for the Andrews government to drop the ball on the development of detailed protocols for the export sector so they can take advantage of the free trade agreements that have been negotiated.

The Liberal-Nationals value our farmers and food businesses.

We understand that maintaining the status quo will not build a strong future for the industries that are the backbone of Victoria’s regional and rural communities.

PETER WALSH

Leader of The Nationals

POLITICS is a grubby occupation and it is hard to respect most practitioners on the local scene or in the state or world arena.

Among the few I have had great admiration for were Winston Churchill, Robert Menzies, Henry Bolte and the Queen.

The Queen’s 64-year reign has outlived all those mentioned and she is expected to comment on almost everything.

This has been done without controversy and with good grace.

I wonder how many of your readers are Royalists like me?

OLIVER GUTHRIE

Ballarat

THE Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has again announced $2000 grants per applicant for wildlife shelters for the 2016 period as it has for many years. This assists with ongoing expenses and infrastructure repairs.

Most wildlife shelter operators are very grateful for the ongoing assistance in this voluntary occupation, although it makes me wonder why some do not apply for the grant but continue to ask for public support?

All of us have been visited and inspected by the department in the past few months and I for one have ‘passed muster – I hope all have.

LEA CRYSTAL

Nhill