BANNING OF ART UNIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1926, Page 18

BANNING OF ART UNIONS.

(To the Editor.} Sir, —In your issue of June S appeared headings: "The Prime Minister Congratulated—His Attitude to Art Unions— Church Supports His Views." It is about time the Churches put their own house in order, and put a stop to church gambles at bazaars and other gatherings •for the purpose of raising money, where the children are the people they make use of to pull in the cash. The Rev. North is reported to have' said: "Art unions were a popular and vicious form tof gambling." That being so, let the Church pick the mote from its own eye to be able to see to pick the mote from its neighbour's eye. If Mr. Coates is serious in what he stated why does he take the large amount he draws from the totalisator? Why does he not hand it to the local bodies to make roads that carry the traffic to the races. It is to be hoped that Mr. Coates will not be led away by the congratulations of men who have their own little gambles, but wish to stop the other fellow. If we are not allowed to collect money for deserving local requirements, where is it to come from. If the people are prepared to help by buying a 2/0 ticket, and at the same time having the chance of winning a prize, why should they not do so.—l am, etc., COMMON SENSE.

(To t_e Editor.) Sir, —Having read the letter signed "Anti-Gambling," I think it is about time a stop was put to these peoph who sign themselves "Anti-This" or "Anti-That," for they seem to think that everybody ought to be as narrow-minded as themselves. As for, the surprise packets, the promoters of the same know whom to appeal to for funds for any worthy object, namely, tbe broadminded generous majority. We arc a law abiding, unselfish lot of people, tin majority of us, and we don't need am "Anti-Pills" to guide us into the paths we don't want to tread.—l am, etc.,

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The Prime Minister was skating on thin ice when he made the statement to the Tamahere Road Board and the Raupo Drainage Board: "That we will not have the public engulfed in an atmosphere of gambling if I can stop it." We find that only a few weeks previous the Prime Minister had allowed the Oamaru Racing Club to run a very large art union to augment their racing funds, notwithstanding the fact that the same racing club have the right and do use a totalisator several times a year to extract gambling revenue for their racing business. Tlie Prime Minister helped to hold up last Parliament for several days at the cost of thousands of pounds to the country, forcing a Tacing bill, introduced by the Minister of Internal Affairs to increase, the rights of more gambling to racing clubs. There was held with the approval of the Prime Minister on June 3. 5. and 7 pamblins to the tune of four hundred thousand pounds. The revenue extracted from this totalisator gambling is used tn keep racing going. Would it be not better used for roading. drainage, etc.. as was asked for by tbe boards mentioned. Such action would have creatly hclned to ahsorb our unemployment troubles. What an appalling state of affairs when we read the year's totalisator investments, especially the first week in .Tune. Tf the Prime Minister wishes the public and their children not to be enshrouded in an atmosphere of sramblinsr, as he stated. he should first attack the racing gambling, that fouls the atmosphere far more than any art unions could ever do. He knows quite well that the totalisator creates an army of totalisator odds bettors and punters that the art unions do not and cannot do.—T am. etc.. NOT CONSISTENT.