7 NOVEMBER 1987, Page 5

TIMES SHARE

MONDAY'S Times carried a beautiful letter. The correspondent discussed the problem of wives scrumpling up their husbands' copy of the Times. She wrote:

. May I commend . . . my custom at home? My husband always generously pre- sented me with my own copy to read — and even to rumple if I so desired.

Consider the assumptions behind this. First, that husbands always buy newspap- ers and wives cannot do so. Second, that there is no problem about affording two copies of the same paper. Third, that no paper other than the Times is worth taking. Fourth, that the subject merits a letter to the Times. The author of the letter was Lady Stansgate, mother of Mr Tony Benn.