CAR FOR BEST LITTER

Evening Star, Issue 21745, 13 June 1934, Page 13

CAR FOR BEST LITTER

AN ADVERTISING SCHEME WAS IT A LOTTERY? &>• UmTw? 4t' CHRISTCHURCH, June 12. An advertising scheme under which a motor car was offered as a prize was the subject of a charge against the drapery and clothing firm of Hays, Limited, the managing director of which is J. L. Hay, heard in the Magist trate’s Court tq-day'. The police ah leged that between April 11 and May 17 the firm conducted a scheme whereby a promise was made that amol or oar valued at £229 would he disposed of by a certain device contrary to section 4J of the Gaming Act, 1908, subseltion CThe case was defeated. Chief-detective W. H. Dunlop prosecuted and Mr C. S. Thomas appeared for Hays. Subsection C of the Act reads “ Every person who manages oi' conducts or assists in managing qr conducting or canvasses for subscribers and/or receives any money or valuable thing for tickets in or for any purpose connected with any such lottery op scheme is liable to a fine not exceeding £2OO, and for any second offence be? aides sue}) fine is liable tq imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months. 1 ’

The conditions of entry for the coni* petition were detailed in court. The prize of a motor cor was offered for thb best letter from a customer setting out the reasons “ why the firm is forging ahead.” The receipt for goods to the value' of 5s or more must: be procured and sent with the fetter. In addition to the prize of a motor car there were five weekly prizes of 5p each to the writers of the best letters sent in <]um ipg the week. These winning letters were to be included in the final judg* ing tor the motor car. Two judges outside the firni were appointed to judge the letters, and it was agreed that they were of the highest repute. Xll the facts wore admitted. Mr Thomas asked for the dismissal of the ease on the grounds that the evidence did not disclose an offence. He argued that if flavs' competition was a lottery their the Empire school essay competition, and even university scholarships, could bo held to be lotteries. The magistrate (Mr E. J). Mosley) reserved his decision.