9 APRIL 1977, Page 17

Wild Dayrell

Sir: According to the story handed down in my family, Wild Dayrell's curse on the Pophams stated that 'no eldest son will ever succeed the father.'

It might be of interest to Mr Popham to know that no male Dayrell remains in the line from Wild Dayrell, only descendants from the female side.

Interest in whether the power of laying curses still remains, albeit in a distant descendant, is tempered by the thought that the curse appears to affect the curser as well as the cursed.

Dayrell Bishop 46 Kotare Street, Christchurch 4, New Zealand