LOTTERIES AND ART UNIONS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16700, 8 December 1919, Page 5

LOTTERIES AND ART UNIONS.

« INTESE STING CASE AT WELLINGTON. (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON, December g. j The Lottery I.aw lays down that articles other than works of art may only bo ilis-poscd of l.y lottery, or raffled, when the express penui-s:o:i of the Minister of Internal Affairs has been obtained; and tho pronouncement was mudo at t!io tiino of tho Trentliam Scholarship Art Union that permits would 110 loader l»o readily given, although tho Government had Granted very many such permits during the war period. To-day (ho police took action at the Magistrate':* Court against tho Rev. Fatlier .Smyth for alleged offences against the Gaming Act in connexion with tho Human Catholic bazaar held in tho Town liall recently. Onii f-Detectivo .Bodh.un said that advertisements in the daily papers had called .special attention to tlio three main prises offered, namely, a, thoroughbred chestnut filly, valued at 100 guineas, a suit of cloines or a costume, and a:i eiderdown ciuilt, whilo many other articles of silverware and oti.nr goods were also mentioned. "When ppoken to by the police, tho defendant had been perfectly frank, and detailed tho scheme whereby theso articles were to bo disposed of. Tlu re was, ho wished to stress particularly, no Mipgestion that tickets had boon disposed of in any other than a perfectly fair manner. Father Smyth, in evidence, admitted that tho articles had been disposed of in a manner in which there was a certain element of chance, but that same element cf chance entered into the buying and selling of very many articles, and lie particularly mentioned those old favourites of juveniles, the '"bran tub," and tho "lucky bag." Tho racehorse in question had been offered to tlio bazaar as a raflio by a friend of one of the lady stall-holders, but ho had advised her not to accept or refuse it until ho knew where he stood. He then called on a solicitor, and, as tho result of their discussion, this solicitor drew ut> tho scheme already outlined. Not wishing to run any risks of going outside the law, witness had submitted that it-homo to a second legal practitioner, H'hn, after considering tho matter, passed it on to another confrere, who also pronounced that the scheme was well within tho law.

j The Magistrate reserved liis decision