A B747-400 ON TAXI OUT HAD SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THEY TAXIED BACK INTO THE GATE WHERE THE CAPT BECAME CONCERNED WHEN MAINT WANTED HIM TO OMIT THE WORD 'FIRE' FROM HIS LOG ENTRY.

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WE WERE ON TAXI OUT AND GOT A CALL FROM THE PURSER THAT HE SMELLED AN ACIDIC SMELL AND SAW SMOKE NEAR THE STAIRS. WE ASKED HIM TO CALL BACK ONCE HE ASSESSED THE SITUATION. WE THEN GOT A CALL FROM THE UPPER DECK THAT THEY SAW SMOKE AND SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. THE CAPT TOLD ME TO GO BACK TO HAVE A LOOK. AS I WALKED DOWN THE AISLE; A FLT ATTENDANT WAS USING A HALON EXTINGUISHER IN THE VENT ON THE TOP OF THE OVERHEAD PANEL. THE FLT ATTENDANT SAID SHE SAW FIRE COMING FROM THE VENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE UPPER DECK CEILING BUT HAD PUT IT OUT. I IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK TO THE COCKPIT AND RPTED THE FIRE. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO THE GATE AND REQUESTED THE FIRE DEPT. TAXI IN WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER PARKING THE ACRID SMELL CONTINUED. WE DEPLANED AS THE FLT CANCELED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 745525: I DIRECTED FO TO LOG ITEM; BUT WAS REBUTTED BY MAINT ABOUT USING THE WORD FIRE IN THE LOG. I HAD SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE CREW DESK TRYING TO RE-CREW THE ACFT IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 745046 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE WAS A DEFECTIVE FLUORESCENT LIGHT BALLAST.