EXPENSES OF THE ANZAC ART UNION

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 75, 26 September 1916, Page 5

EXPENSES OF THE ANZAC ART UNION

Reference to the Anzac Art Union was made by tho Hon. G, Vf. Russell (Minister of Intarnal Affairs) "in conversation with a Post reporter yesterday. Mr. Sutherland had 6tated that the suggestion was made to him (tho Minister) that the expenses of the art union should be limited to 10 por cent, of the total capital received. "When that suggestion was made to me," said Mr. Russell, "my reply was: 'I do not wish to place a limit upon tho expenses, I will treat you .as honourable men, leaving you to administer the art union in a just and fair way.' That is what Mr. Sutherland regards as a refusal. As a matter of fact, the position is that, including the commission paid to tho agents for sale of tickets, the expenses havo run up to nearly £3500 in order to attain a not result of £15,000. When I compared tho Dannovirke Art Union, which raliscd over £7000 at a cost of £45, I was well aware of tho true position. In tho case of tho Dannevirke Art Union they were confined entirely as regards advertising.to tho small province of Hawkes Bay, but the Anzac Art Union was not enfined to Palmerston; it had the whole of tho Wellington Provincial District in which to operate. Consequently the comparison is very much against the Anzac Art Union. However, in view of the excellent object of the art union, I do not wish to indulge in further criticism of the methods that were adopted. At the same time, I may observe that while tho art union was in progress I drew the attention of the managers to the fact that they were licensed, to sell 200,000 tickets. As a matter of fact, tho total number sold was 387,000, nearly double the number tho committee was authorised to sell, thus reducing by nearly one-half the chances of those who purchased tickets.'^