EL DORADO

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 February 1927, Page 5

EL DORADO

TARANAKI’S ART UNION.

FORTUNATE ticket holders. SOUTH ISLANDERS PROMINENT. Before a tensely expectant audience which packed the Foresters’ Hall, Hawera, last evening, the prize drawing of the El Dorado Art Union, conducted under the auspices of the Egmont, Stratford and Tarana&i A. and P. Association was completed in what was probably the fastest time recorded in New Zealand for ballots of similar dimensions. The drawing of the 146 prizes and the declaration of the names and addresses of the winners occupied the organiser (Mr AV. G. Compton) and his assistant (Mr F. Preston), together with seven drawing stewards, an announcer, and an official recorder for the comparatively small time of threehours and five minutes. Similar proceedings in connection with other of the principal art unions conducted in the Dominion have been known to extend over a period of eight hours. ..A notable-feature of the-draw was the success of ticket-holders in the South Island, who secured all but one of the' six principal awards, as well as n fair two portion of the lesser prizes. One of' Taranaki’s residents achieved the distinction of drawing two. prizes —a unique occurrence in big art unions—the fortunate- person being Mrs L. Lvford, of Uruti., who, with tickets K 41367 and K 41361, secured tiwo of the £5 awards. THE LUCKY SIX. The winner of the big prize of £2OOO was Mr T. Waigtli, of Roxburgh, Otago, who had purchased the lucky ticket C 57786. The second prize of £SOO fell to Mr F. E. Fauchell, of Riwaka, Nelson, wliose ticket number was C 65187. Mr Alex. Hyndman, Cromwell, Otago, secured third prize of £IOO with number H 4618 4; and the fourth, fifth and sixth prizes of £25 each went respectively to Mr E. N. Johnson. Ashburton (B 50072). Mr A. Winks. Hunferville (K 66453), and Mr E. V. Mills, Invercargill (B 71405). Of the 140 prizes of £5 each, 50 went to the Auckland province, 29 to the Wellington, Wanganui and Manawatn districts, 26 to the South Island; 25 to the Taranaki, and 10 to the Hawke’s Bay district. PRIZES TO TARANAKI. Eight were annexed by Hawera ticket-holders, these being Miss Charm Barrow (C 25546), Mr L. Siliby (G 35047), The Syndicate (C 24996), Mr E. C. Fletcher (C 28292), Mr J. B. Laurenson (A 77096), Mr G. J. Wallis (C 28288), Mr A. Good (C 28777), and Mr Bob Hanna, Fraser Road (C 22058). The remaining prizes won by Taranaki ticket-holders were distributed as follows: Mrs L. Lyford, Uruti (K 41367); Mr G. O’Neill, Te Wera, Stratford (A 46067); Mr B. R. Walter, Douglas, Stratford (A 44833); Mr F. Curward, New Plymouth (A 45290); Mr A. Lempero, Midhirst (C 22344); Mrs L. Lvford, Uruti (K 41361); Mr F. Thomson (A 48976); Mr T. Gardner, Oaonui (853560): Air A. E. Simpson, New Plymouth (K 41034); Mr W. St. George, Waitara (C 47029); Mr E. A. Fitzgerald, New Plymouth (A 24154); Mr J. Lvnch, New Plymouth (J 44277); Air F. Reilly, New Plymouth (F 40546); Mr S. Willey, New Plymouth (A 47927); Mr .T. Keel an, E,lth am (A 48483); Air W. T. Malcolm. Waitara (K 39846); and Mr S. Nieoll, Waitara (J 44497). METHODS EAIPLOYED. The expeditious manner in which the numbers were drawn and the immediate declaration of the winners aroused ke.ui interest among the -public. Before commencing operations, the organiser explained that tickets numbered from 20,0001 to 79,999 had been issued in e.even .series, lettered from A to L inclusive, but exclusive of the letter I. During the -progress of the campaign records had been kept of the tickets issued and returned, and beta*.en the closing date and the evening' of the draw registers showing .whether each ticket had been purchased or returned unsold had been completed, while the butt® giving the names and addresses of buyers had been arranged in a -series of, trays in such a manner that the ticket corresponding to any number drawn would be instantly available. Bv referring to the registers as a number was announced, the organiser was able to say instantly whether the corresponding ticket had been sold, and if. so the ticket was produced by Mr Preston and the owner’s name announced. THE SEVEN BAGS. Arresting the first attention of the onlookers were seven coloured _ bags, which, suspended from the ceiling by elastic strings,- contained the fateful marbles. On the right was hung a white bag. into which the organiser put six large marbles numbered from ouei to six, these being used to ballot the six principal prizes. Next, came -a yellow bag containing a series of letters painted hack on yellow marbles, them -a red bag containing smaller red marbles, numbered from, two to seven to denote the tins of thousands; a white hag containing ten marbles numbered from 0 to 9 to denote the thousands; a green bag containing another ten to denote the hundreds; a blue bag with ten marbles to give the tens; and a black bag with ten marbles to give the final figure. Volunteers stationed at each bag drew the .successive- marbles to group the six characters of the numbers, the series letter , followed by the five figures, being placed in slots on a specially prepared table, white the announcer called the number formed. For the benefit of the public, the number was written by a special steward on a large blackboard. MANY FRUITLESS ATTEAIPTS.

As the number was announced, the organiser, standing by the registers, called, “sold’’ or “not sold.” In the former case the name of the winner wa,s announced from the ticket butt. Tf the number drawn was not sold the marbles were ■ returned to .the bags, which were shaken and drawn again. Many fruitless drawings were naturally 'involved, and were provocative of particular suspense during the ballot tor the big prizes. To facilitate the draw, 80 of the 140 £5 prizes were drawn in the afternoon, commencing at 5.10 o’clock. These were completed by 6.45 p.m., and operations for the ballot of the big prizes were resumed at 7.40 p.m., following the explanation of the procedure by the organiser. In deciding these prizes, the numbers were drawn from the bags, and if a “live” ticket, the marble to designate the prize was drawn from the targe white bag bv Mr H. G. Dickie, M.P., who was in attendance as one of the trustees of the art union. THE PRINCIPAL BALLOT. The first number drawn was 049255. “Not sold” called the organiser, and

a re-shake was made. 065187 was then plao-d on the table, and the butt be'ng produced disclosed the name of Mr F. IT, Fauchell. Mr Dickie drew number two. and the ownership of the second prize was settled. .... . After another unsuccessful draw, the number 057786 was announced. Mr T. iVaigtil’s name was.called as the ticket owner, and from the remaining _ five marbles in the large bag Mr Dickie drew number on?, which "<<t ave Mr. Waighfch the prize of £2OOO. . j Sixteen further shakes of the bags were '.necessitated to decide the other four prizes, which in the order drawn were five, four, there and six. The remaining 60 of the lesser prizes were then proceeded with, and at 9.10 j>.tu. Mrs Lucas, of Hastings, with ticket number D 75.805, was called as the lucky last. . The proceedings were watched ofticia'.iv bv Mr P. J. Ivelleli?r, of the Delartment of Internal Affairs, and Constable 0. I. Tocher, of the Hawera police. Mr A. J, Barr, secretary of the stratford A. and P. Association, officiated as announcer of numbers drawn, and Mr M. 0. Crighton. the secretary of the art union, as official recorder. On the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr Dickie expressed appreciation, of the uublic assistance given during th?. •ampaign. and congratulated the South' island supporters on their success in the results’. He a'so remarked that while the oeopl? of Taranaki had not been destined to participate to a large extent in the individual returns, the district would receive the benefit of the financial returns realised. .