Sir.-How could anyone be so mean as to complain about money being sent to aid people caught up in this incredible disaster?

It is impossible for us, who are safely at home with everything we need, to comprehend the scale of the survivors' misery, the confusion they must feel, the trauma of dealing with losing loved ones, and to find the will to continue.

I, and other secretaries in the orthopaedic directorate, feel these people who have complained should be named and shamed.

Let's hope these people never need any help.

-Diana Mortimer, Turner Close, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I was shocked and saddened to read the article last Friday.

So what would these people rather have? A statue somewhere in Basingstoke?

Yes, it may be taxpayers' money but that includes everyone in this town, so why should we not be able to help those in need?

What about all those children with no family or home, and all those people without fresh water?

It's disgusting to think a very small number of people objected.

How would they feel if it were to happen to them and people refused to help?

This £10,000 would have helped in a big way. Instead it's sitting somewhere waiting for someone to decide what to spend it on.

There was no better way of spending that £10,000 than sending it to the people who need it.

I hope those of you who objected are ashamed of yourselves. This isn't a time for being selfish, it's a time for helping those who desperately need it.

-Madelyne Morgan, Riverdene, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I think that stopping the donation is a shameful and selfish thing to do.

The objectors know how much trouble those people are in. They need help getting back on their feet and getting their lives back together, and I think that no one should get in the way of people who are trying their best to help.

The other day, my school (Four Lanes Junior Community) raised £1,113.65, by having a non-school-uniform day.

Perhaps a smaller amount of money may be donated by the council without any problems.

-Hannah Cole, age 11, Chineham.

Sir.-While there may be legitimate reasons, brought to light by this "gang of five", for not making a donation, surely there must be a legal loophole in which it may be possible to go ahead?

Where were these five when the "Wote Street appendage" and the "Triumphal Gates" were muted?

How can we morally quantify the expenditure for these and other images in the town and not feel just a little guilty, whatever the rule book states?

I suggest that, as the council quotes, the £10,000 "equates to 20p per person", it might like to set up a collection stand in the town for people to donate their 20p.

I would suspect that, as we have been amazingly generous to date in this appeal, this contribution would not be missed in our pockets.

-Oonagh Lindsay, Upton Crescent, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I am absolutely disgusted that a handful of people in this town have stopped the council from making a contribution to the tsunami appeal.

I suggest the objectors should be sent to the area and left there for a month, living under the same conditions.

As a council tax payer, I don't begrudge them a penny.

-Mrs K Stickler, Royal Close, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I would like to suggest The Gazette prints an A5 or A4 form on the front page of the paper, inviting readers to send in their contributions, in a positive effort to show that the council was right to make the £10,000 gesture, to ease what has been the biggest disaster since Krakatoa - or even before that.

If the five or so objectors still feel so strongly about the council's earlier proposal, I would urge that they write to Prime Minister Tony Blair - who has committed £200million of taxpayers' money!

It's a funny old world.

-Hugh Sawyer, Hackwood Road, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I read with a sense of incredulity that four or five individuals can alter the decision made by a democratically-appointed local government council.

Perhaps they would like to present Basingstoke with their business proposal on what the 20p per household equivilant should be spent on and let the majority decide.

My message to the council is proceed with the donation - to do so would, I'm sure, be the will of the majority. If it's legal action you're worried about, contact our Prime Minister, who some close links with a good QC.

I can't imagine you losing that case so near a general election.

-Paul Melhuish, Basingstoke.