7 NOVEMBER 1987, Page 24

Service rate

Sir: The alternative terms suggested by correspondents for the community charge or 'poll tax' will scarcely convey its purpose to those unfortunates the French call les cochons de payants. What is wrong with `local service(s) rate'?

As a former local government officer, I can see no good reason for abandoning the familiar term rate, which has a long pedi- gree, being descended from the church rates, poor rates, highway rates etc paid to parishes long before the days of county and district councils, and going back to the 16th if not the 15th century.

Irvine Gray

24 Lloyd Square, London WC1