Re: K Morland's letter ‘Stop helping those who don't help themselves' (The Weekend Sun, May 16). I can see what sort of stance you've taken on the matter of the Government giving what you would call ‘hand outs' to what I would call ‘the poor or needy'.

However, there is always another side of the coin - maybe you don't see or you wish to ignore.

I've perceived from what you've said the taxpayers are wasting their money on parents who are too irresponsible to look after their own children.

This may be true but it most certainly is not the case for all. I agree it isn't fair for us to be paying for irresponsible parents, but don't you think the Government has already thought of this?

What good would it be to subsidise nit treatment for children, for them to only catch it again from the few irresponsible parents neglecting their children? Rather than waste time watering individual flowers, wouldn't you water the weeds as well?

There are better ways to look at these problems.

If we stopped spending our money on the poor, how long do you think we would stay a ‘first world country' for?

China has more slaves, mostly children, than ever before in history - it's because of this style of thinking.

If you looked at it from ‘their' point of view, especially the children, you might not be so hard on the Government for helping them.

Some people are stuck and need a hand out, not a critical eye.

G Burton, Welcome Bay.