THE Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland has added its voice to calls for

the Secretary of State for Scotland to set up an inquiry into the

running of Monklands District Council.

Mr David Bryce, grand secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge, in a letter

to Mr Ian Lang, said existing local government legislation ''does not

cover the matters of concern in Monklands.

''Therefore, we support the call for you to put in place enabling

legislation to deal with the political corruption that is widely

believed to exist.

''We refer to the gross disparity in expenditure between Coatbridge

and Airdrie that has reduced the people of mainly Protestant Airdrie to

second-class citizens; the allegations of nepotism and religious

discrimination in jobs; the religious exclusiveness of Labour Party

councillors, MPs, and office bearers.

''There is every reason to believe that local anger in Airdrie and its

environments will not go away but will fester until it erupts.''