3 NOVEMBER 1961, Page 13

INTRUSION

SIR,—Mr. Llew Gardner has some pretty odd ideas of the function of the press, although 'pretty' sounds the wrong word. Did it not occur to him or his Editor that publication of this story, even with consent, could do no good and might easily cause pain? The function of a newspaper is, presumably, to convey news in which people may reasonably be expected to be interested, not to drag out unhappy things best left forgotten. if Mr. Gardner wants to defend himself, perhaps he would answer one question : What made him think that anyone would want to know where the poor man was?

PAUL RIES COLLIN