On Wednesday, June. 2nd, Mr. Churchill received a deputation from
the Free Church Council on the subject of the betting tax. His answer to the ejections offered by the deputation was, in our judgment, convincing as well as considerate. Consideration was certainly required in view of the deep sincerity of the deputation. He easily disposed of the argument that a tax confined to credit betting and race-course betting would expand .ready-money • or street betting which remains untouched by the tax. As for the fear of the deputation that the beginning of taxation meant that all kinds of betting would gradually be brought in and that ready-money betting houses would be set up, Mr. Churchill said that he could not imagine that the present Cabinet would agree to any such extension. "ft_ would arouse an opposition en- tirely different from that which was aroused by the taxation of betting now recognized as legal, and he himself felt that, ready-money betting houses would justify. the strongest arguments which the deputation had used. In any case before ready-money- betting could be taxed the law would have :to, be changed. That would raise .a moral issue .which _he., could not admit was involved by the .present taxation. Mr. _Churchill spoke more strongly than we had expected. about the objections to taxing. ready-money, betting. We cannot feel that he has wholly disposed of the matter as if it, should be proved that taxing decreases the volume of becing it could not be wrong to,. apply it to street betting. _ - * , * * * .
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