19 MAY 1973, Page 28

Black balls

Sir: Skinflint, in his paragraph about black balls for London clubs, seems to me to have got it all wrong. A club of the type of Brooks's or the Garrick is simply a collection of individuals, of broadly the same views and tastes, who like to meet each other for conversation over food and drinks, and enjoy each other's company. If the committee feel that any candidate would not fit into such a background, and that a reasonably large proportion of members would not welcome him among them, they reject his candidacy. There is no question that anyone 'ought' to be elected. Thank goodness, as Lord Melbourne said of the Garter, there is no damned merit about it.

T. E. W. Waddington 56 Gresham Street, London EC2.