Counted letters

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 404, 21 July 1992, Page 4

Counted letters

• Since publication of the letter by 'Concerned Citizen' in which she criticised the selection process for positions at Winstone Pulp Mill, I have been asked by several people if I was the author. My answer was 'No'; explaining that I would have signed any letter with my real name and NOT used a pseudonym. When I told of my dilemma to a friend, he replied that he also had thought that I had written this letter. Perhaps the reason for me to be suspected could be based on a similarity in mode of expression between 'Concerned Citizen' and myself. I feel, however, that for this similarity I should not be placed under suspicion. To make matters even more complicated, two of the people who thought that I was the author were in tum asked by someone else if they were the writers. I understand that your reason for allowing pseudonyms is that in a small community not enough people would send letters when they have strong feelings about an issue if they had to sign their real name. However, please consider also that while you give people who write controversial letters the right to hide behind the cloak of anonymity, that others may be wrongly suspected of their deeds. Who's right comesfirst? The anonymous writer's or the innocent suspects? Perhaps a 'Stand Up And Be Counted' policy will reduce the quantity of letters sent to you, but guaging by the derogative comments made about the unemployed made by someone with

the intellect of a 'Local Yokel', it can only improve the quality.

Siegfried

Bauer