21 JANUARY 1966, Page 7

Tailpiece A flourishing City merchant banker I know has for

some years now made a practice of in- sisting that any candidate for a senior executive post in the bank must first submit a specimen of his handwriting for expert analysis. As an aid to successful recruitment, this technique, he tells me, has proved itself time and time again. Recently, without disclosing the identity of the writer, he sent his consultant graphologist a specimen of the hand of 'one H. Wilson. Back came the unequivocal reply : this man lacks confidence.

NIGEL LAWSON