SEQUEL TO RAFFLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20554, 3 May 1930, Page 14

SEQUEL TO RAFFLE.

MONEY PRIZE INCLUDED.

SECRETARY CONVICTED.

FUNDS FOR PICNIC GROUND. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Friday. Tho honorary secretary of the Waiomio Park Committee, Arthur Chapman,, was to-day convicted and ordered to pay 10s costs on a charge of establishing a lottery, by. which a. prize, a £5 note, was to bo drawn for by mode of chance. The case arose out of tho recent carnival to raise funds to purchase for a picnic ground an area of land at Waiomio, on the Thames Coast. The committee decided to ask tho Minister of Internal Affairs for permission to raffle a steel engraving, as well as some oil paintings. Permits were issued, and the chairman, having mado inquiries, decided that a bank note should be framed and raffled as a steel engraving. Tho polico took action and tho permit was withdrawn. No further tickets were sold, and tho rafflo accordingly was not drawn.

Counsel for defendant said the rgffle was in no way for the benefit of any single person, and only for the ratepayers of Thames. Although Chapman • was secretary he had nothing to do with the sale of the tickets, and had no interest in the rafflo. He was a man of standing in the town, and thero had been no intention to commit an offence. Permits could not be issued to corporate bodies, such as the Borough Council, so the town clerk applied, in his name, for the permits. Counsel asked that the case be dismissed.

Tho magistrate, Mr. J. G. Hewitt, said ho could understand defendant's feelings in the matter. That tho raffle was stopped immediately a complaint was made was something in his favour, but ho could not dismiss tho charge. Ho would have to enter a conviction.