[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sui,—To argue with Canon
Green is to court disaster, but having held two benefices in Salford I can claim to be familiar with the conditions which I take it have done much to form his opinion on the subject of a tax on betting. I, should like to ask Canon Green if he can imagine anything worse than the existing conditions connected with betting which are common to the slums and poorer districts of all large cities. Children and -women sneaking along to some back court or" dummy" shop with betting slips, men hanging about the streets until the " runner " comes along and takes their. shillings. The betting agents secretly at work in every factory and workshop. At present these things go on all day and every day and the police interfere as little as possible, When some bookie or his runners come up against the police:, the whole neighbourhood is roused to shield or rescue the, unfortunate " sportsman " and one hears ugly mutteringsl about the rich being allowed to bet as much as they
whilst " a poor chap is run in for putting a bob on." The! children used for betting purposes know quite well that ther are doing something which is against the law—they always' make sure that there is no " copper " about before handing over a slip.
The State regulations for the sale of drink have done much! to remove the chief scandals which previously, prevailed' between children and the drink trade. The fact that the State legalizes drinking does not give the children a craving. for alcohol. The regulation of drinking hours does much to prevent men and women drinking to excess, whilst the tax on beer and spirits limits the quantity which can be purchased,'
What State regulation has done for the drink trade it can:- surely do to minimize the evils of betting. The fruits of betting are altogether evil. I know of no redeeming feature- and would gladly see the whole system abolished. If abolition is impossible, then let the opportunities for betting be restricted and supervised and let the revenue from such taxation bei utilized for schemes of social betterment.—! am, Sir, &c.,
8.0., Lincolnshire.
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