FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ ART UNION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11462, 28 December 1897, Page 3

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ ART UNION.

- . . ‘ TO THE EDITOR.

Sra, —As . there has been- considerable Surprise manifested at the abandonment of the above art union promoted by the United Friendly Societies’ Benevolent Fund, it may not be out of place for me to explain why the Art Union Committee fame to this decision, after having spent a large amount of time and money in its inception. Some three months ago we ap-, plied to the Colonial Secretary for permissiod to hold an art union on similar lines ,to the one carried out so successfully last year. We distinctly specified the class of articles we intended giving ■ as prizes, and in due course we received the required permission to hold the proposed art union, in accordance with the Gaming and Lotteries Act. Naturally enough, we supposed that in securing the permission of the Colonial Secretary to hold the art union we were quite safe in proceeding with the necessary arrangements, such as printing tickets, purchasing prizes, &c., &C. You can imagine our surprise when we were informed by the Police Department that the prizes 'offered were in violation of the law, and that if we persisted in selling tickets ■on behalf of the art union wo would he laying ourselves open to a prosecution at ■law, as provided for in Section 18 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. On looking up -the Act referred to, we found that it distinctly states thnfc only “ works of art, or ; models of mechanical appliances, paintings, statuary, &c.,” can be offered as prizes in any art union. This opened our eyes to ’the danger of breaking the law, and the , Committee decided upon procuring a legal opinion on the question, with the result • that we were left as wise as before, the solicitor in question, having no authority ifor his opinion other than his own personal idea on tho rfatter. We were advised to join the other societies V promoting art unions at the present time ! (such" as the Fire Brigades’ art union and the Stanmore Band art union), in instituting a " test case ” in order to obtain a Magisterial decision on the question of what constitutes “a work of art” or “ model of a mechanical appliance,” &c., &c.; but we decided upon abandoning the ■ whole affair, rather than take up the unsatisfactory duty of fighting the Police Department. We considered that as.cur funds are contributed for purely “benevolent” purposes, we would _ not _ be justified in expending thorn in _ litigation. Persons who have bought tickets can

have their "money returned on application to the person who sold them; or if- they feel disposed to leave it in the hands of the Society, they will bo furthering the work we have so much at heart and assist some brother who may require our sympathy and assistance. Probably we may ask for public support in carrying out some other form of enriching the exchequer, but, in the meantime, we are trying to dispose of the prizes already bought for the art union to the best possible advantage, so that the loss may be minimised to a large extent. —I am, Ac., JAMES W. HUNTER, Treasurer.