23 OCTOBER 1964, Page 14

THE SECRET BALLOT Snt,—I was surprised to read in 'Afterthought'

that Alan Brien thinks that our voting procedure ensures a secret ballot. Perhaps his photograph is unkind to him and he is too young to have voted yet? While polling station officials still write the voter's number on his ballot paper this ,`secrecy' has no foundation in fact. But next time, and I hope it won't be too long, I shall take an india-rubber with me—they only write in pencil.