Invariant pseudometrics on Palais proper G-spaces

Let G be a locally compact Hausdorff group. It is proved that: 1. on each Palais proper G-space X there exists a compatible family of G-invariant pseudometrics; 2.the existence of a compatible G-invariant metric on a metrizable proper G-space X is equivalent to the paracompactness of the orbit space X/G; 3. if in addition G is either almost connected or separable, and X is locally separable, then there exists a compatible G-invariant metric on X. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.