ART UNIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 June 1926, Page 6

ART UNIONS

DISCUSSION IN, THE HOUSE (By Telegraph—Special to The Mail.) WELLINGTON, June 25. "It is only human nature after all," declared Mr Potter (Roskill), in the House to-night, whenl discussing the question of gambling and art unions, lie suggested the. Government should authorise the conduct of sweepstakes in the Dominion as a means of helping the country's revenue. He recoguised fully that gambling had grown to an enormous extent and that it was not to the benefit of the Dominion, but they must find the best remedy available. Although he did not blame the Minister of Internal Aairs for prohibiting art unions and raffles of over £SOO, yet he j failed to see the moral difference between a raffle for that amount and one for £2O. Recently the Prime Minister was asked in the North to allow an art union for a local body which required" money for roads, but he' held up . his hands in holy horror and said : "Think of the morals of children." It was all very well to talk about the morals of children, but if art unions were to be allowed then the. House should have the right to fix the amounts. It was finite wrong to leave the matter to the discretion of the Minister. The Prime Minister: "The hon. gentleman has his remedy." Mr Poller: "I have my remedv as far as my vote is concerned, but T bope I shall have a lot of colleagues to help me." The Government gave facilities for a gambling totalisator and they must leave out the moral aspect. The Government received a revenue of £600.000 or £700.000 from the totalisator, but he thought there was a method of obtaining revenue from a number of people. Hon. A. D. McLeod: "Bookmakers." "Bookmakers are in existence in defiance of the Government," replied Mr Potter, who said that 80 per cent, of the people would be in favour of allowing a Tattersall's sweep to be conducted in the Dominion. Money which the Government received from such a sweep could be earmarked for some specific purpose. He was quite .satisfied that if a referendum were taken 80 per cent, of the people would he willing to invest a few shillings in the hope of getting a few thousand pounds. The referendum would be a safe thing for the politicians who would not have to worry about how many votes they would lose if they voted for his sweepstake proposal in Parliament.