AS a former journalist I support a newspaper's right to expose injustice and reveal truth.

However, in your recent coverage of Jack Straw's assault on Freemasonry, you are somewhat economical with the truth.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph, along with many others, persists in referring the Freemasonry as a secret society, despite the fact that all our rituals have been published, our lodge rooms are regularly open to the public and the great majority of Masons are happy and proud to reveal their membership.

Those who wish to keep it private only do so from fear of discrimination - it is not unknown for employees, even police officers, to be warned against becoming Freemasons or promotion might be jeopardised.

You also persist in referring to the Moat House affair as a "Masonic conspiracy."

If there was a conspiracy, as a judge suggested, then, surely, it was because the people involved were policemen; they might just as well have been attending a dinner dance organised by a Rotary club rather than a Masonic ladies' evening.

NORMAN PICKLES (Press and Public Relations Officer for the Masonic Province of East Lancashire), New Church Road, Bolton.

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