17 NOVEMBER 1979, Page 20

Mystifying

Sir: Alexander Chancellor (Notebook, 10 November) refers to the members of the Institute of Journalists as 'a rather mystifying collection of people'.

This is an odd reference to journalists quite as professional as Mr Chancellor.

I joined the Institute of Journalists as the result of the activities of an even more mystifying collection of people, the National Union of Journalists.

John Theobald Latimer House, Blackfriars Ope, The Barbican, Plymouth