2 APRIL 1927, Page 3

Mr. Churchill received a deputation of bookmakers on Tuesday on

the subject of the Beithig Tax. He expressed very frankly his feeling that the bookmakers liad been behaving foolishly in exaggerating the effects of the tax. If they had had more experience of bearing taxation they would have helped the Government to face the difficulties. He refused to believe that the tax had seriously injured racing. The autumn blood- stock sales were the best on record. He thought that the decline in attendance at race meetings was mainly due to causes other than the Betting Tax. As for the charge that credit betting was being transferred to illegal channels, lie had evidence that there was not any noticeable transference. The Post Office, at all events, knew nothing about it.

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