4 AUGUST 1973, Page 5

Generous publishers

Bookbuyer ' does neither more nor less than justice to those publishers who don't pay royalties on time (they probably blame pachydermatous computers). Where he — and probably the Society of Authors — is unfair is that he fails to take cognisance of the many publishers who actually advance money to their lovely authors well before it is due. Shouldn't there be a ' Whiter than White' list to balance out a potential black one?,

Desmond Briggs Blond and Briggs Ltd, 56 Doughty Street, London WCI.