Lottery Board grants

Press, 8 June 1979, Page 12

Lottery Board grants

Sir, —I, too, am amazed at the grant of $50,000 to the racing fraternity by the Minister of Internal Affairs. Two years ago I wrote to the secretary of the Lottery Board asking that a grant be made to the Christchurch Environment Centre. This request was refused because under the Gaming Act, 1962, this was not provided for. However. I wrote to the Minister of Internal Affairs asking that special dispensation be made to enable a grant be given to the Environment Centre. The reply was that the type of work the centre is doing is commendable but there was no provision for lottery profits to be used for such work. I contend that the Christchurch Environment Centre is most beneficial to the community and does now come under Section 71 of the act. Would the Minister care to make comment on this? To give lottery money to the racing fraternity just does not make horse sense.—Yours, etc., S. HEMSLEY. May 27, 1979.

[The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Highet) replies: “Your correspondent is wrong in asserting that I have made such a grant. The New Zealand Lottery Board agreed that an allocation of $50,000 might be set aside for stake subsidies on selected trotting and galloping events as an additional means of promoting the lotteries. No decision has yet been made to distribute any funds in this way. If your correspondent cares again to submit an application on behalf of the Environment Centre, this will be considered in terms of the amended legislation.”]