PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 113, 14 May 1940, Page 9

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

HOLDING OF RAFFLES

SAFEGUARDS PROVIDED

NO COMMISSION

Appropriate safeguards have been made t» ensure that . - concession enabling real and person-1 property, subject to a licence being approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs, to be raffled in aid of the patriotic funds, is not abused. A circular dealing with a number of important points provincial patriotic councils will be required to observe has been issued by the office of the National Patriotic Fund Board.

A licence may be given to raffle real or personal property of any kind, but only absolutely unencumbered gifts in aid of patriotic funds will be authorised. Incidentally, this decision prevents (a) the purchase of real or personal property out of patriotic funds for the purpose of raffling, and (b) the raffling of real property subject to a mortgage or other charge (including arrears of rates), or personal property subject to a bill of sale or a j hire-purchase agreement, or otherwise not at the disposal of the person making the gift. Provincial councils and controlling committees are also being asked to examine carefully all gifts to ensure that they are what the donor j represents them, to be, and that they ..ill be satisfactory prizes. The principal responsibility will be that of the provincial council?;, for they will have to certify as to the property when the application for a licenc to raffle is made to the Department of Internal Affairs. The licensee may be either a provincial council or any person or body appointed as the agent of the council. It is suggested that councils or their controlling committees should in general conduct raffles of more valuable property, both real and personal, the actual licensee being an officer or servant of the council or controlling committee. It is recognised, however, that in some cases it may be found desirable to appoint some reputable organisation with numerous branches throughout the province as the authorised agent of the council, particularly when the.property is donated by that organisation and it desires to make a special effort for the fund. Provincial councils are i vised that only in exceptional circumstances should private individuals be appointed as authorised agents, but it is pointed out that in the case of an article of minor value —for example, one made by the donor t—an individual might often be the most suitable and enthusiastic agent. Reference is also made to the possibility of business firms desiring to use their organisations to conduct raffles, but if they do councils will be expected to discountenance the using of patriotic raffles as trade "puffs." LICENCES AND SALES. An important point is that every application for a licence will require! to be forwarded to the Department through the provincial council in aid of whose fund it is proposed to hold the raffle. There will be strict adherence to this provision. The sale of tickets will be restricted to the provincial district of the council controlling that fund. The only raffles for which a Dominion-wide sale of tickets will be authorised will be those I in aid of the National Patriotic Fund, which will be on rare occasions. When the value of the prize is small the circular advises that the raffle should be restricted to a district or locality effort. Another important point made is that care should be taken to see that mo risk is run of surfeiting the people | with raffles, or of failure through competition between raffles. The interests of the regular monthly £5000 alluvial gold art unions will not be j overlooked by the Minister of Internal ' Affairs when issuing licences for patriotic raffles for large value prizes.

Special conditions regarding expenses will apply, their object being to ensure that the net proceeds shall be as large as possible. No commissions or other remuneration for selling tickets, for example, will be allowed. The provincial councils will be solely responsible for the supervision of the

raffles,