"Pro Bono..."

Shortly before he left New Zealand, the last conductor of the National Orchestra, Mr James Robertson, deplored the number of unsigned letters in our newspapers. I think it would be fair to say that five out of six letters in the Wellington dailies are pseudonymous. In a paper like The Times all letters are signed.

Defenders of anonymity point out that the absence of a name does not affect the truth or validity of the points made, and that the worth of signed letters is likely to be gauged by the identity of the writer. Where the letters are stating an argument, it is true, the absence of a name does not invalidate the argument, but it is a sad commentary on the rationality of the community if a majority judge a letter by its author.

However, most letters do not present an argument at all, but dogmatically state a point of view, or make complaints and protests. Thus we have " Ex-Labour" denouncing the Government and vowing that he will never vote Labour again.

How is the reader to know whether the writer ever voted Labour in his life?

Or that the letter was not manufactured by the newspaper? No! Save in exceptional circumstances, a person should have the courage to put his name to his letter—especially if he is making a criticism.

And how the same pseudonyms turn up again and again! "Pro Bono Publico," "Observer," "Citizen." How superior they are! How they reek of complacency and sanctimony!