RECENTLY, certain people attempted to pressurise the government into banning the smacking of children. One appeared on television with one of the weakest arguments I have ever heard, that "If we banned smacking, more people would be inclined to report child cruelty." This is simply not the case. People do not report child cruelty because they simply do not wish to 'get involved.' Banning smacking would do nothing to change that at all.

Another argument is that smacking children is violence and that this 'violence' towards children only encourages more violence. Can these people explain then how in this day and age of no corporal punishment and a reduction in the number of parents smacking their children, we not only have a total lack of respect from the children of today, but violence is on the increase?

Twenty years ago hospitals didn't have to post signs warning of the consequences of violence towards medical staff. Taxi, bus and rail operators were not faced with an increasing threat of violence toward their staff. I have ever heard of members of the clergy being attacked in their churches and churches having to be locked up during the day.

Could somebody please point out to me how we are improving society with the attitude of 'spare the rod' because, from where I stand we are on a downward spiral and accelerating downward with every new day.

It is time to admit that they simply have it wrong. I am all for stamping out abuse toward children, but there is a massive void between chastisement and abuse.

PAUL ANTHONY, Spring Avenue, Great Harwood.