2 SEPTEMBER 1972, Page 22

The dockers' motives

From the Revd W. 1. Bulman Sir: I have bought and read The Spectator for over thirty-five years and I write to congratulate you as the only organ of opinion, so far as I know, to have the courage to tell the truth about the mixed motives of the dockers.

Stealing in the docks cost many companies millions of Cs annually. Some way had to be found to curb this shrinkage,' hence the invention of the container, too big to steal and too heavy to make away with. Like many another, the dockers had found a second form of income, tax free. Is it to be wondered at if they rebel at this curbing of their privilege?

W. I. Bulman Langwarren, Arnside, via Cantforth