Wedder bitten

Sir—Allow me to join the pack of "mongrel dogs yapping around the heels of a thoroughbred horse" P. J. Wedderspoon.

Undoubtedly the unbalanced flailings of our comic friend scarcely warrant consideration, let alone the effort of reply: however, when one's intelligence in constantly assailed by barrages of blatant lies, the need to protest becomes strongly felt. To this end, I would like to take issue with the four points P. J. W. makes in his letter of last Salient: It is time that the vicious nature of his references, and the stream of constant lies, were challenged.

1. On a number of occasions early this year, Wedderspoon claimed in front of a number of witnesses that the National Party did financially assist his campagin in Palmerston North.

2. At a number of forums in 1967, he referred to his imoginary court-martial, and constantly told tales of his mythical incarceration. (These interspersed with stories of his legendary adventures with the army in Malaya.)

3. Throughout '67 he had decided difficulty in remembering whether he was a Jew, or indeed a Catholic. On occasions he laid claim to both.

4. When the Minister for Defence (Thomson) spoke at Varsity in '67, Wedderspoon was shouted down (even by the lefties) following an abusive question. He did, however, clearly get across the phrase, "sabrerattling fascists" (directed at Thomson).

One must feel sorry for Paul: he is not worth the controversy he provokes. I feel sure that if he would moderate his blatant lying and his vicious attacks on others, the community would accept him in his true role as political jester, and tolerate (perhaps with interest) what promises to be an amusingly colourful career.

Yours,