24 AUGUST 1991, Page 21

Weak-willed

Sir: Paul Johnson (17 August) writes: 'Like any good newspaper, the Lymington Times gives full details of local wills', revealing the `enormous sums' left by retiring officers.

Surely he knows that will totals are noto- riously unreliable? A fool will leave a mil- lion pounds (largely to the state); a smart businessman will so have arranged his affairs as to leave ostensibly only a few thousand. Will reports are often reversals of the actual amount the dead person was `All aclohol tends to corrupt. Absolute alcohol corrupts absolutely.' worth — as any 'good newspaper' knows. Any good magazine, too.

S. Russell

Westcott, Martins End Lane, Great Missenden, Bucks