£800,000 WANTED

Evening Star, Issue 19274, 12 June 1926, Page 12

£BOO,OOO WANTED

BRIDGE OVER WAITEiATA MONSTER ART UNION SUGGESTED [Pkk United Punas Association.) AUCKLAND, Juno 11. How it was intended to raise capital for the construction of the longdiscussed bridge over the Waitemata Harbor was introduced at a meeting of tho committee last evening by Mr J. B Tonar, who stated that a largo amount was needed for propaganda work. Tho bridge would span the only gap in the continuous route of the main highway from the North Cape to Wellington, and therefore assistance should be forthcoming from the Main Highways Board. The Chairman, Mr E. G. Bkeates, said that, while he was not a racing man or a gambling man, ho considered a big art union should be promoted. Tho amount paid for tho tickets could be regarded as a donation towards the bridge. Ho suggested that their objective should bo £1,000,000, and 4,000,000 tickets of 5s each should be issued. Of this total £750,000 should be allocated for tho bridge and £50,000 for expenses. Tho remaining £200,000 should ho distributed in TOO prizes. Mr Ogilvie Paterson said he_ strongly opposed gambling, and if this course were resorted to be would retire from tho committee.

Mr F. E. Powell said he would not call himself a gambler if it would mean getting the bridge. He was quite ready to take £lO worth of tickets. Mr M. Wilson said that tho gambling spirit was doing more than anything else in New Zealand, except perhaps drinking, in deteriorating our manhood and womanhood. He strongly objected to the money being raised in the manner proposed. The Chairman said he quite agreed that art union gambling had been overdone, but this bridge _■ proposal he regarded as in ciuite a different category. He anticipated that the tickets would be taken up in New Zealand, and if not, Australia would snanthem up. It would he the biggest thing that had ever hit New Zealand. Further consideration of the matter was postponed for a month.