STATE LOTTERIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 13

STATE LOTTERIES.

HOSPITALS MAINTENANCE,

CONFERENCE REJECTS PROPOSAL. DECISION BY 24 VOTES TO 21. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. By 24 votes to 21 the conference of hospital boards to-day rejected' a proposal for establishing State lotteries, the proceeds of which would go toward the upkeep of hospitals.

The proposals were embodied in various forms in several remits, which were subjected to lengthy discussion.

The Hon. W. H. Mclntyre (Buller) said it was becoming more apparent every day that the introduction of art unions was desired by the people. It was a form of taxation which appealed to them. It was absolutely essential that in order to prevent trouble the Government should obtain this year an additiop.all £2,000,000. Private art unions conducted in the past had returned to the State £100 a day. He was sure the whole of the Dominion would favour the inauguration of State lotteries. They had to get away from this hypocrisy about the immorality of art unions.

Mr. J. K. Archer (Christchurch) said up to the present he had always assumed that members of hopital boards were serious men and women concerned with assisting their country, and not with encouraging a form of vice from which New Zealand was suffering to-day. It was a disgrace for delegates even to discuss the idea.

Several other delegates spoke against the remits.

Mr. F. Castle, chairman of the Wellington Board, said a similar proposal had been placed before his board some time ago, but had been rejected, and in his opinion rightly so.

The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, said they were treading on dangerous ground. It would be most unwise to imperil the system of assured finance which boards already had.