HOW right Robin Paice, UK Metric Association chairman, is ('Metrication: decision was made by the Government', Letters , September 29) that "...we need to standardise on one single system of weights and measures which everybody understands and uses for all purposes".

Who caused the chaos we ended up with? Margaret Thatcher is the correct answer. As Minister of Education she decreed that pupils in British Schools should be taught only metric measures, imperial measures would become a system of the past.

Illogical and irrational as she was as Prime Minister of her Conservative Government she did a complete about turn and with her metrication, Sally Oppenheim, as part of their anti-Europe stance abandoned any further progress to metrication. For a number of years I was a member of the Metrication Board's committee for distribution and consumer goods. The committee was charged with the task of phasing in a gradual changeover to metric weights and measures.

To assist shoppers and traders a number of simple rhymes were devised on approximate conversions to metric. These were widely publicised in the press in leaflets and promoted by enlightened traders. The rhymes ran:

"A litre of water's

A pint and three quarters" and

"Two and a quarter pounds of jam

Weigh about a kilogram"

Simple to say and even remember, even for a seventy three year old!

When abandonment of metric was announced we were astounded. A generation of young people had little, if any, knowledge of imperial weights and measures. Mrs Thatcher left them all in limbo. Yet when they and their parents holiday in European countries and opt for self catering, meat and fish, vegetables, even sweets and alcoholic drinks are all bought in metric measures.

They learn , they adjust. Even Mr Kilroy-Silk with a bit of effort could have done too; but where are he and the UK Independent Party now? Divorced!

Are logic and loyalty always to be tossed aside as of no concern to anyone?

BERNARD HOWCROFT

MCC

Metric Conversion Confused