ART UNION PERMITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21133, 16 March 1932, Page 14

ART UNION PERMITS.

Sir, —Your correspondent', on the above subject evidently objects to the Government giving preference to des'erviqg cases. He has every right to his opinion, of course, but I think he is a long way in the minority, lie says art unions are a gamble. Well, do not we all gamble all our lives'! ]s not our Stock Exchange a gamble '! Did wo not gamble when *8 voted our M.IVs into office 1 -An{J did we draw a winner? When we buy ® ticket for 2s 6d we all expect and hope to win that £2OOO. 1 think there is something wrong with the man who «'■ ula refuse to buy a ticket for 2s 6d if hj« was sure that by doing so he would win £2000; :t would not V hun.an v 1 cur correspondent says an unions arc imn!<va> because "they lead to trusting to hick,, instead of honest hard work." I cannot sec anything immoral in that. He ssys that "by ge'ting something for nothing undermines the independent spirit of people." I think that winning Hie, £iCW would tend to make one more independent, fie says "it leads people to spend money they cannot afford, and is very lively to lead them into difficulties." li peopls cannot afford a ticket and are -o 0,1 led, they deserve to pay for their fe.iy? which is nobody else's business. ITo say* "it encourages false hopes." 1 say I J |?l " a person who indulges in a baroness flutter, at a cost of 2s 6d, and allows false hopes to interfere with his n . ,n Vs' that person also deserves to lose his 2s od. I cannot for the life of run see why a' unions are going to stop this Poii'tnieii from breeding a race of hardy I»od-fear-ing men and women, as your ronespou dent seems to think. Neither can 1 see any bad sign of the gambling spirit, it is for a good object,' then !et evPl '.{ man, woman and child that can affoul 1 buy a ticket, and I only hope the prizC' moneys go to those that have the sense to benefit bv winning it. In conclusion, mav add that nobody is forced to buy tickets. If you do not wish to buv. keep out of it, but no one has a riffht to dicta to other people how they shall spend tnei own money. S. J? Hamilton.