August 16.

Your report on absenteeism in Strathclyde seems to back Mr Lang's idea

to axe the lot (August 16). One reason for the high absence rate might

be that the employees are bored and an extra 19 days on top of their

three weeks holiday might give them the energy to return to the

workplace.

I would suggest that apart from the police, fire brigade, and

emergency repair squad, not one other employee is needed. A good example

is the lighting department. Not so long ago it had 600 employees; that

number has been cut to about a dozen. The lights still go on and there

is no deterioration in service.

The whole administration side of the region could be run by a handful

of part-timers using a modern computer system, with manual labour being

contracted to small private firms.

John Carlyle,

36 Albert Road,

Glasgow.