3 OCTOBER 1941, Page 14

THE SAMPLING METHOD

SIR,—In reply to Mr. Silvey's letter in your issue of September 26th, I should like to state that I was not misled by Mr. Rowntree's own figures, but by those of " Janus." I made it clear in my original letter that I had not then read Poverty and Progress. Had I bad that opportunity my argument would have been the same as Mr. Silvey's. As I was largely the pioneer of the sampling method in this country, I am grateful to Mr. Silvey for defending so convinc- ingly this method of securing information.—Yours faithfully, H. G. LYALL. The Hazels, Mount Pleasant Lane,

Bricket Wood, via Watford, Herts.