The facts about Arthur and his homeland
SIR - Following the first logical placement of King Arthur in Wales, in the book Journey to Avalon, by Chris Barber and David Pykitt, the past eight years or so have been spent considering whether Merlin too had been improperly abducted.

He had apparently been moved lock, stock and magic wand from his homeland to dwell only in the minds of the later day writers who placed him everywhere but in his home town.

Attempting to resolve Merlin's real place in life necessitated a diversion to Arthurian "so-called history" to see how the two figures had inter-related.

The outcome of eight years dedicated and frustrating research is unquestionably, "that every single Arthurian battle listed by Nennius in 796AD, had undoubtedly been fought in Mid, South, and West Wales".

There can be no doubt whatsoever as to that statement.

The booklets giving all the whys and wherefores should be ready for printing in the near future.

However because the film that is due out soon will arrive before the booklets are in print, and now that this Scottish attempt has popped up, each of these new claims to thereal Arthur needs to be put down at birth.

Anyone attempting to latch on to "Our Heritage" must get their facts together before making the attempt, so the claims need to be countered immediately.

The public in general, and historical writers in particular, have already been confused sufficiently that it is now time to set the records straight.

Steps therefore are being taken to bring out a series of computer discs detailing the individual, or connected groups of battle sites, such that the justifications for arriving at these totally new conclusions can be seen to be appropriate; most of these should be immediately available in limited numbers.

Scotland has tried constantly, since the days of Nennius, to claim Arthur as its own, and it has also claimed that St Patrick had been born "up there", neither of which theories are remotely likely.

Everyone wants to claim Arthur as theirs, but in his true homeland people seem to believe Arthur to have been a fictional character.

Author King Arthur Revisited
Ferrar Street, Carmarthen

Missing answers - and questions for the BBC
SIR - Like many of your readers I watched Question Time, which came from our capital city Cardiff on June 17. To my surprise none of the five panellists was Welsh and of the four elected politicians none represented a Welsh constituency. To make things worse there was no representative from Plaid Cymru the second party in Wales in terms of MPs, AMs and councillors.

As questions were asked about Welsh issues the viewers across the UK did not get a balanced view of Welsh opinion because there were no Welsh panellists.

I trust that in future the BBC will include Welsh people when Question TIme returns to Wales.

Rhuddlan Road, Rhyl

Why no Welsh voices on our Question Time?
SIR - The BBC owes an explanation why in Question Time from Cardiff there was no person from Wales on the panel which was made up of three politicians representing English regions, an American who was the chief adviser to Ukip and Germaine Greer, an Australian.

An important reason why this programme moves around the British Isles is to give a local interest, encourage greater participation and to tackle issues of relevance to particular parts of the country.

Where issues about Wales were raised last night these were treated with an understandable ignorance. Germaine Greer was even unaware that the Welsh Dragon is our National Flag.

Of course it might have been that some personalities from Wales were approached to appear but declined the invitation. If this was the case then mention should have been made of this in the introduction to the programme.

I doubt when Question Time goes to Scotland and Northern Ireland that there will not be representation from both these countries on the panel. And one final point.

The BBC in London should recognise that there are places in Wale is other than Cardiff from which Question TIme can be regularly broadcast.

Plas Treoda, Yr Eglwys Newydd, Caerdydd

What role for university when federalism ends?
SIR - I share many of Mario Basini's concerns that he espouses in his recent excellent article on the impending demise of the University of Wales as we now have It. But this should come as no surprise.

The University of Wales emerged in the 19th and early 20th centuries when Welsh industry and culture generated enormous national feeling and pride - much of which was channelled Into the formation of the various constituent colleges of the university.

An important mission in these years was that a strong University of Wales would also benefit the people of Wales. How very different are things now.

There is little cohesion between constituent colleges, there is no sense of pride in belonging to a federal university and, somewhat sadly, I do not feel that the University of Wales has done as much for the people of Wales as was the early vision of the University.

As a graduate of the University of Wales, I am very conscious of the fact that few who work in the University of Wales, with some notable exceptions, know anything at all about its history and its significant contribution to providing people in Wales with a university education in years where, previously, this had not been available. Also, in only some instances has the Federal University of Wales functioned as a true federal university.

Most of the responsibility for this comes from those in authority who have favoured more the development of their own institutions at the expense of being a part of an exciting network of higher education In Wales (which I am sure will soon lead to constituent institutions leaving the university) and the higher echelons within the university who, over years, have shown a serious lack of vision in developing the federal university.

There can be no doubting the excellence of much of the work coming out of the constituent institutions but these are more islands of excellence rather than part of the output of a cohesive federal university.

But maybe in the modern era of a harsh market-driven world of higher education where research output and income generation dominate and lip service is all too often given to the importance of education and learning (although many will strive to deny this) the whole idea of a federal university is now extinct. It simply cannot be afforded.

Yet it remains my belief that there is still, in a small country such as ours, a need for a federal university as one of many unifying forces.

Until the National Assembly, the University of Wales was, after all, probably the only single institution in Wales which drew people together from all corners of the country.

This is still needed.

Dafydd Wigley's sub-committee now has to address the question, not "does the University of Wales continue" but "in the light of modern trends of higher education, what should its new role be?"

This is a major challenge.

Plas Treoda, Yr Eglwys Newydd, Cardiff

Hospital must not be closed without a fight
SIR - Redwood Hospital in Rhymney was built with money donated by miners and others from their meagre pay packets. Even during the years of depression it was maintained and each summer a week of fundraising, with eisteddfod, carnivals, jazz band and other contests and a hospital ball, enabled it to keep open.

To allow it to close now without a fight would be letting down those with vision in past years.

Grove Villas, Rhymney, Gwent

How Catty caught on with bored Servicemen
SIR - Further to your recent letters regarding the game of "Catti", I can well recall as a national serviceman in the mid '50s with BAOR being on exercises in the wilds of Luneburg Heath.

During a lull in the proceedings with boredom setting in, nothing to do to relieve it, and based as we were in a seemingly abandoned farm with an enormous central courtyard I suggested to my mates that we have a game of "Catty and Doggy" as we called it here in the South Wales valleys.

None of them being from Wales, they all thought I was quite mad. However, as soon as I was able to find a suitable piece of wood and cut it into shape they all started to take interest and when I followed on with basic instructions and a brief demonstration everyone wanted to join in.

Very soon small groups were gathering and several "Cattys" began flying about the courtyard to hoots of laughter amidst friendly rivalry.

The game went on to become a very popular off-duty pastime with many inter-company competitions set up.

Sadly, it seems to have passed into local folklore along with the Hook and Wheel, Whip and Top, etc.etc.

Dan Y Coed, Blackmill, Bridgend