Metric conspiracy
Sir: During the past few weeks I have written two letters to a national daily newspaper, as follows: I. Schools and instrument makers seem to be assuming that a change from imperial to metric weights and measures has already been decided upon and will be thrust upon us without further discussion; and are acting accord- ingly. Yet the nation has so far not been given any opportunity to say whether it wants to change. There must be many who do not.
Is there no one in Parliament prepared to take this matter up and insist upon a referendum? (not published) 2. A statement issued by the National Union of Teachers (2 March) says that to abandon plans for metrication by 1975 'would result in an indefensible waste of time and resources'.
Others, however, might regard it as indefensible for any govern- ment to force metrication upon a nation which has neither been asked its opinion nor given its sanction to this change; upon which decimal coinage has already been foisted, again without its consent; and whose rulers, once more without reference to the wishes of its people, persist in their attempts to push them into the Common European Market.
(not published) On Sunday. 21 March, the Sun- day edition of the same national newspaper announced that our Ordnance Survey maps are likely to become metric this year. And the same newspaper, the follow- ing day, reported that 'Driving on the right side of the road is another "condition" which Britain will be called upon to accept if she joins the Six'.
Sir, is there a conspiracy to stifle all resistance to these un- wanted changes? Or is there no resistance?
Peter Fleetwood-Hesketh The Manor House, Hale, Liver- pool
Previous page
