... I AM sure that H. G. Clarke's article on The shape of food to come has been read by all your other readers with the same gathering interest that carried me through to the end. Unlike the poster he takes three pages to tell us 'Prepare to meet thy doom', but it is most useful at least to have a few years warning. I certainly would not pre sume to ridicule either his ideas or the products. We ...

... AT A recent conference on Ergonomics held by the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, Mr. H. T. Lovegrove and Mr. D. J. Evans, both of the Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry Industry Train- Board, said that farm machinery manu facturers could do a great deal more to make operators' instruction manuals more useful. They said that there was great variation in the content, format, layout ...

... A MONTH or so ago you had an editorial in Farm Country about the policy and readership of the magazine. 1 meant to write in at the time, but have been somewhat delayed, to say how very much 1 enjoy reading the magazine, and how useful it is in helping one to keep up to date with new trends and developments. In particular I am impressed by the fact that so many of your contributors show a sound ...

... CORRECTION SIR. Just a brief correction to your review of the Leeds Catch 22. This was not in fact the British premiere as the play was staged t>y HPLG at the Cockpit in London this year on Thursday. January 30, for three days. The Stage was invited but unfortunately was not able to attend. The real mystery is of course why nobody had staged this inter esting piece before. It has been in ...

... WHAT A BRANCH CAN DO SIR--As a contributor to the letter columns of THE STAGE on three or four occasions. I feel as perturbed as Ian Barritt was on your impartiality as to how Equity should be run. I agree with him that the EMAG article should either have been in the letter column or as a paid ment. One of my letters to your column in the past had many mis prints. This, you kindly reprinted ...

... LION COMIQUES SIR,--A century ago the music hall stages of Britain were dominated by the Lion Comiques--George Leybourne, the original Champagne Charlie, the Great Vance, Arthur Lloyd and G. H. Macdermott were the big four. Chappells have invited me to write a book Lion Comique on the men and their songs. As I want to tell the full story, I would be grateful for any unpublished data or ...

... THE ANTI-REFERENDERS Sir, Other than Equity, is there a Union of workers anywhere, in this country or elsewhere, some of whose members openly and actually declare opposition to the holding of a referendum? I am merely putting a question. Your*: faithfullv Reuben Elyy. 145 Gloucester Avenue, N.W.I. ...

... Dear Sir, I am in almost total disagreement with Sandy Allison in criticising the acting in Thames's Jennys and London Weekend's The Affairs of the Heart. Lee Remick gives a very creditable performance as Jennie Jerome. After all, it is extremely difficult for an American to portray another, who won the heart of Lord Randolph Churchill, probably the greatest British statesman of this century ...

... ROSIE LYONS SIR. I would like to have news of a relation in our family. She was a dancer named Rosie Lyons, and I have seen a copy of The Stage with a picture of her on the front page, in costume, as a ballet dancer, but when my mother-in-law died many papers were lost. The time is about 1911-1912, as far as I know. I would really appreciate any news. Yours sincerelv. E. J. FIRMIN (Mrs) 33 ...

... FUNDS FOR THE FRINGE SIR.--In last week's Stage Leader you admitted your almost total lack of knowledge of the mechanism by which Fringe companies obtain grants. You then proceeded to print a piece devoid of facts and full of slanders, mystifications, smears, inaccuracies and mean innuendoes Page 20 of the very same issue carried an article More Demands from Women which contained' ...

... OLD VIC OUTLOOK SIR,--The Arts Council's warning that lack of money could mean the mothballing of the Old Vic when the National Theatre Company moves to the South Bank will not gladden the hearts of Londoners with pride in their city. Visitors from home and abroad for whom going has long been a prime tourist attraction will have one more reason for holidaying elsewhere. Festival organisers ...

... THE AUTOGRAPH HUNTER SIR,--Can you please allow me, a mere member of the public (one might almost say a cross-section) a little space in your columns? If so, I'm sure your subscribers will hear something to their advantage! Reflections of an Autograph Hunter (Written with the icy cold wind howling round me at the stage door yet again!). I sometimes wonder what the stars and would-be stars ...