LIMIT ON RAFFLE PRIZES

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26874, 29 October 1952, Page 6

LIMIT ON RAFFLE PRIZES

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY CRITICISED (New Zealand Press Association) WHANGAREI, October 28. “It is about time the Government faced its responsibilities,” said the president of the Northland Intellectually Handicapped Children’s Parents’ Association (Mr M. S. Blomfield), commenting today on the Government’s rejection of his application for permission to conduct a £l5OO raffle. Mr Blomfield, who went to Wellington to interview members of the Cabinet and Parliament on his proposal that the Minister of Internal Affairs should be given discretion to increase the value of raffles above the limit of £lOO, has received a reply from the Minister (Mr W. A. Bodkin). Mr Bodkin says that no exception can be made from the prohibited list of prizes, that the raffling of a tractor cannot be permitted, and that the limit of prizes for each raffle conducted by the organisation is £250. Although the permitted value of prizes has been increased from £lOO to £250. Mr Blomfield is indignant at the limitation, particularly as the major prize in his proposed £l5OO raffle was a tractor. While in Wellington about a fortnight ago, Mr Blomfield interviewed most Cabinet Ministers, leading mem‘bers of the Opposition, and many members of both parties. Almos* without exception, he said today, he had been given assurances of support.