CONTROL OF ART UNIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19197, 10 December 1925, Page 10

CONTROL OF ART UNIONS.

Some of the questions that have been raised regarding the Government's sanctioning of huge lotteries are answered in the statement by the Minister for Internal Affairs, though as a declaration of the Government's policy on this important question it leaves much uncertainty. There is not even a definite answer to the question as to the number of lotteries to be worked off before the £SOO restriction becomes effective. Mr. Bollard says three or four applications were received before the rule was made at the end of August. Surely by now his department knows exactly how many there were—two have been publicly announced, leaving, apparently, one or two applications still under consideration. Has it occurred to the Minister that there is no obligation whatever upon him to give his sanction in these cases 1 The issue of permits is entirely in his discretion, and the promoters of lotteries would have no legitimate grievance if he decided now that, in the public interest, the ' proposed restriction should apply except where permits have actually been granted. The limitation of prizes is not sufficient. It is equally necessary that a strict limitation should be placed upon the purposes for which art unions are allowed. 4ji that respect, the only sound principle is to confine them to the raising of funds for charitable purposes, with the further stipulation that when the proceeds are to be devoted to local charities a definite limitation should be placed upon the extent of the campaigning. There are some charitable organisations whose activities are national, and they may claim the right to broadcast appeals for assistance, but it is an unwarrantable exploitation of the public for Oamaru racing clubs to pay their debts by collecting subscriptions throughout the country or for unidentified golf and tennis clubs in Auckland to raise funds in all parts of the Dominion for the benefit of their members. The proposal that promoters of these art unions should be required to furnish full accounts is manifestly necessary. It is also due to the public that they should be compelled to publish in their advertisements an adequate statement of the purposes to which the net proceeds are to be devoted. No such information is given regarding the two lotteries announced last week. They do not even pretend to maintain the fiction that these are art unions, for there is no reference to the "alluvial gold" with which the Minister and his department vainly strive to camouflage their real character. One is boldly entitled a "national raffle" and the other invites speculation in the chances of winning "big money." It is time the Minister realised that he has been giving licenses for gambling on a wholesale -scale, and that he should strictly enforce his existing powers of regulation.