A BIG ART UNION

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3308, 30 March 1926, Page 15

A BIG ART UNION

HOW IT IS DRAWN In view of the early drawing of the Grand National Raffle, which positively takes place on April 19, as stated on tickets, it will be of interest to read of the method now employed by the important art unions. There is no gainsaying that the system used by several of the earlier art unions was decidedly clumsy. This consisted of putting the large number of butts—scraps of paper—into a big barrel and drawing a number of butts therefrom. The crudeness of this method was very apparent to the onlookers. The dead-weight of paper prevented anything like a good shake-up taking place when a few revolutions wore attempted; at one drawing the unwieldy barrel persisted in falling off its supports, much to the amusement of the spectators. But to describe the more Up-to-date system. In the popular Grand National Baffle (the first one to use the double butt, absolutely ensuring participation in the ballot), it must first be explained that all tickets Issued are of numbers containing five figures. The lowest number in each letter is 20,000, and the highest 90,999. Instead of an enormous barrel stuffed with scraps of paper in the Grand National numbered marbles are used for the drawing of prizes. Simultaneous With a member of committee drawing from a small barrel a marble to denote the number of one of the 239 prizes, another official (or a person from the audience) draws a marble from one of the five bags used for the drawing' of the winning numbers. Of these five bags, the one on the left contains only the numbers 2 to 9. Suppose a “2” is drawn, then "2” will be the first figure of the five-figure number to be a prize. From the next bag (Avhich contains marbles from . 0 to 9) a marble is drawn, say a “6.” From the third bag, say a “o’; from the fourth bag, perhaps a “7,” and then only the unit remains to be drawn from the last bag to complete the fiv-figure number. Suppose a “3” and we have No. 26073.

Coincident with the announcing ot the -full number and the number of the prize, the letter of the alphabet is drawn from another bag, thus completing the combination, say. No. 2G073C. A wonderfully simple process and without doubt the fairest for everyone, as It Is so easy to give each bag a good shake every time. But what about the Immediate announcement of name and address of winners? The most satisfactory part of the Grand National Raffle is the bookkeeping and audit system. Apart from the assurance of the double butt, there is a double check on every ticket bought and paid for. The books of record and cash book system (all supplied from headquarters) used by the district agents hold the agents to ac. count for every ticket sold or unsold. As their weekly returns reach headquarters at Oamaru all records are carefully checked and tabulated by a trained staff under competent supervisors. Thus it is that when a complete number is announced the records show in a moment whether that number of ticket was sold. If it proves to be an unsold ticket the prize is drawn for again. Somebody must get it, of course. Under this system, Inbeing in the running, as in the scrap stead of thousands of holders never of paper method, on the evening of April 19 the magic marbles will respond to the call of those whom fortune has decided to favour. Someone raust get the three thousand gold guineas.