IN response to recent complaints concerning changes to letter collections perhaps the following should be added. Letter, first class, posted 5pm, Wednesday, in Whitchurch Road for collection at 9am the following Thursday morning. Sent to Newton Abbot with full address and post code (distance of 30 miles). Letter arrived Monday am, ie, four working days. On enquiring why it took so long was told that it was within their accepted time for local deliveries for first class mail. What was it that the American tennis player McEnroe used to say? 'You cannot be serious'. Four days to take a first class letter 30 miles. Is this the shape of things to come now that we have a privatised mail service? Perhaps we should go back to using pigeons. Rex Harpham Tavistock