Flaw In The "Betting Shops" Proposals

Chronicle (Levin), 8 March 1949, Page 4

Flaw In The "Betting Shops" Proposals

(To the Editor) Sir,— Nothing more iliogical than thece proposals has ever been p.aced before an intelligent public. "Bookmakers," say the racing and trjtting authorities, "are undesirab es as a class, and tneir businesses are unlawful; therefore, lec us eliminate them by making their undesirable ' businesses legal." You may as we1? make murder lawful fceeause a lot of undesirable people indulge in i-. I suppose these people who will run the betting shops will by sorhe magic be better citizem than those "undesirables" whose place they take, and to whose businesses they will nq doubt, in part, succeed. Surely it would be easier t^ eliminate the bookmaker and his un'awful business by the sirhpl: method of enforcing the law. Police aetion each week instead o? every 18 months or two year. against those people who openly and dai'y flout the law would soon be effective. This everyone -knows and notning cou'd be simpler. Yet, rather than do this, we are invited 1 o increase enormously the facili ies for gambling, a fascinating pastime it is true, but a pernicious'vice as al' know when carried ' to extremes. There are plenty of facilities for gambling in this country at the ' present time, and the open encouragement and mvitation presented by betting shops (or agericies — eall them what you will) in every community and the legahsing of what is jnow properly unlawful wiT -have £he inevitable and Speedy effect of promoting a vicious, uneconomic.. wasteful and undesirable way of life in the rising generation. Yours etc., N. M. THOMSON. Levin, March 8.