POINTS FROM LETTERS A WEST NORFOLK LANDMARK.
Methwold Church, with its unique octagon tower and spire on the edge of the Fens, is a West Norfolk landmark. The ravages of time and the gales of last winter have rendered repairs to the tower roof and windows immediately necessary. One hundred and sixty pounds is needed. Fifty pounds has been raised locally in this poor agricultural parish. There are no local gentry. We appeal for outside help. A Cambridge architect has made a full report of the state of the building and the work has the support of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Donations may be sent to Barelay'a Bank, Brandon, Suffolk, or to the Vicar and Churchwardens.
AFFLECK AND AUCIIINLECK.
Your correspondent of October 26th calls attention to those two names, very interesting both as place-names and surnames. In origin they are identical. Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Boswell's birth-place, is the best known, and the only place so spelt now. But formerly there were several others, all now spelt Affieck -1-near Huntly, near Lesma-hagow, Lanarkshire, and also Affleck Castle, Monikie, Forfarshire, which is found as early as 1296 Ragman's Roll, " Mathen le Naper de Aghelek." All the names stand for the Gaelic achadh an lac " field of the store (in mod. Gaelic lice). Richard de Achinleo, Ayrshire, is found as far back as 1262. Then we have Jas. Auchinleck " servitor to the Earl of Rosse," died in 1496, who seems to be the same as -.Tits Affieck, the ballad-writer. In Inverness the name was common before 1500 as Achleck, Athlyk, etc., and in the sixteenth century is often Auchinfleck. By 1547, at Stirling. the name has become Effiek. The change of achadh" a field ' into Aff is not uncommon. Auchluncart near Keith, Banffshire, is now pronounced Affiuncart, and Afforsk, Gamrie, in the same shire, was in 1391 Achgwhorsk. An English branch of the Affiecks had settled at Dalham Hall, Suffolk, by 1700.--JAMES B. Jorprsow, Edinburgh.
A NECESSITY TAXED.
In your issue of October 26th, it is stated that the Minister of Transport has suggested a penalty of £50 fine and three years' imprisonment and long disqualification for persons avoiding a heavy extra tax upon what is a necessity of life to those who live many miles from a station and must use a car for their business, in lieu of punishing guilty drivers. Can any one of your other readers describe in simple English how, if possible at all, this method is related to the general definition of justice ? The writer lives seven miles from the nearest station and keeps a car for business, and has never had an accident. There are rigid rules in New York State as to issuing licences to drivers. If drivers in this country can get licences without any tests this is the fault of our law ; but it is not a proper excuse for putting an extra tax on necessary cars, surely ?— H. HERBERT WILLIAMS, Tre-Castell, Beaumaris, N. Wales.
REPORT OF THE BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION TO RUSSIA.
I beg to refer to the article in your issue of October 26th concerning the publication of the Anglo-Russian Committee's Report on the visit of the British Trade Delegation to Russia. Applications for copies of the Report have already been very numerous, but apparently in sonic quarters considerable difficulty has been met in ascertaining the address of the publishing office. As a matter of public interest, would you be so good as to make it known through the columns of your paper that the Report is to be obtained from me. —VICTOR JONES, Secretary, Anglo-Russian Committee, 4, Lloyd's Avenue, London, E.C. 3.
THE PRESERVATION OF TRADITION.
In your issue of October 26th, the Rev. S. Claude Tickell laments the passing of the dialects and points out how inter- esting it would be to secure records of a tongue fast diminishing. I am writing to support him when he avers that at the moment there is a grand opportunity for securing lasting records, but that this is fast passing away. I am myself familiar with my own native dialect, that of East Gloucestershire, as spoken sixty years ago, but it is changing rapidly. Words then
in common use have been lost. Plate " used to be pro- nounced " Fleet," but is so no longer, and I could mention others. Cannot your reverend correspondent's suggestion be acted upon, the spoken word broadcast and the written word recorded Y—F. J. FLETCHER, Middleton, Suffolk.
BEARING-REINS.
The use of bearing reins involves quite unnecessary dis- comfort, in many cases suffering. That they are not necessary is proved by their not being, as your correspondent states, used in Scotland ; or by the railway companies. There used to be an Anti-Bearing-Rein Association. What has happened to it ?—E. H. N.
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