IT'S good news that the Welsh Secretary, Alun Michael, is minded to make freemasonry a registrable interest at the Welsh Assembly. This is an important issue that the Scottish Parliament will also have to make a decision on in the near future.

I have lived in the north-east and taken an active role in local politics for many years and I found it very disturbing how the masons influence and subvert almost every facet of life.

Last year I made a substantiated allegation about the masonic corruption of at

least one department of my local council. I reported this and supplied the evidence but was fobbed off with the most ludicrous excuses imaginable.

I then approached my councillor who said he would see that a proper investigation was carried out but when questioned on his lack of action he informed me that he had recently joined the masons and would have to refer me to another councillor. This councillor, although aware of the situation, felt that it was a way of life that would be impossible to challenge. My difficulty in pursuing this matter was compounded by my membership of the SNP - the ruling party in Angus.

After writing to this party's local councillors without acknowledgment I wrote to SNP headquarters hoping they could do something to make these councillors see the damage being done to local democracy.

The outcome of this was that the freemason members of my local branch called a special meeting attended by the local MP to have me expelled from the branch with a recommendation that I be expelled nationally for bringing the party into disrepute.

This meeting was eventually convened and Alison Hunter, secretary at party HQ, was sent from Edinburgh to observe as at a previous meeting Andrew Welsh, MP, had said he wanted it done properly with all the Is dotted and all the Ts crossed.

At this special meeting there was no evidence produced against me. When a

member protested that they had not been shown a scrap of evidence, it was hinted that the evidence against me might be used in court action and was sub judice.

Before this ''court'' voted on the motion to expel me, I tendered my resignation in writing through a member. The fact that I had resigned did not stop them from voting to suspend me from the branch 10 minutes later, with a recommendation to HQ to expel me from the party. This decision was ratified at the party's National Executive Committee meeting on July 11, 1998. The member who asked to see the evidence against me was tried at another similar ''court'' and expelled although he had resigned over the affair and joined the Labour Party!

After I twice wrote to Andrew Welsh to ask if he is a freemason he has declined to say. This is the man who hopes to be the first Speaker in the first Scottish Parliament for almost 300 years.

Alex Salmond made a statement some time ago that he did not feel that members of the Scottish Parliament should hold any other employment. His memorable comment was that ''you can't serve two masters''. If any candidate seeking election has a masonic grandmaster surely he must be made known to the electorate. Why conceal their membership if they have nothing to hide?

Robert Alexander,

21 Wellington Place,

Montrose.

March 1.