BEGGING LETTERS

Southland Times, Issue 25314, 18 June 1935, Page 8

BEGGING LETTERS

DOVER SOLE FOR BREAKFAST “Scientific beggars who know how much to ask and just how to get it,” were referred to by Lord Rankeillour, speaking at the 66th annual meeting of the Charity Organization Society, held in London recently. The Marquess of Aberdeen was in the chair. Lord Rankeillour said that while in the House of Commons representing Central Sheffield he received a card from a man who represented himself as a constituent. The man said he had been called to London to fill a post. On arrival he found that the post had been filled. All he wanted was his fare back to Sheffield. The annual report of the society states: —“The begging-letter writer continues to supply the inquiry department with a great deal of work. The successful begging-letter writer reaps a rich harvest until eventually he oversteps the mark. One such writer, who on paper is always starving and in danger of eviction, has said that he usually manages to have Dover sole for his breakfast.

“Much more alarming is the growth of the bogus charity. The records show that some 57 new societies started during the year have been closed down, but not until the police or other intervention has forced them to do so, and jot until they had extracted substantial sums of money from a charitable public ever ready to do a charitable work.”