Root cause
Sir: I heartily applaud the Prince of Wales for castigating President Ceausescu as that dictator wantonly destroys his country's cultural heritage.
His Royal Highness spoke of 'the awful spectre of an entire society losing its roots and its ancient communities'. Of course there is a vast difference of method and degree, but these words stir dismal echoes of the infamous Heath-Walker destruction of Britain's counties. There was the same obliteration of ancient landmarks, the sow- ing of confusion as to where we live — and all pushed through with the same haughty disregard for our wishes, so that we too began to lose our roots and our ancient communities. And one aspect of that dreadful 'reform' was particularly shame- ful: it elicited hardly a squeak of protest. If the present Conservative Government wants to live up to its name and, incidental- ly, garner a rich harvest of votes, it will pledge, before the next election, to restore our ancient county names and boundaries.
E. J. Lacey
21 Walpole Road, Surbiton, Surrey
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