24 APRIL 1959, Page 24

BEER AND THE BUDGET SIR,—A correspondent in your issue of

April 17 suggests that the reduction in the beer duty was connected with the fact that the Colonial Secretary is a member of Her Majesty's Government. This allegation of grossly improper conduct on the part of the Secretary of State and of his colleagues is surely offensive, as well as being untrue.—Yours faith- fully,

[We have already apologised privately to the Secre- tary of State, and we would like to take the oppor- tunity to offer our apologies publicly to him and his colleagues. The suggestion, though our correspondent made it in jest, should not have been made, and we regret that it was : there is, of course, no foundation whatsoever for it and we are glad to withdraw it unreservedly.—Editor, Spectator.]