ART UNIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21467, 15 April 1933, Page 11

ART UNIONS

PROTEST BY CHURCHES "UNDERMINING MORALITY * DEPUTATION TO MINISTER MATTER OF PUBLIC OPINION Protests against the Government's policy of granting jiermits. for art unions as a means of raising money for various purposes were voiced by a deputation organised by the Council of Christian Congregations that waited upon the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Internal Affairs, on Thursday. The deputation, which included over 20 clergymen of various churches and representative laymen, was led by the Rev. Dr. J. J; North, president of the council. Dr. North said the question would never be settled until it was settled right. There was, as the British Government had long ago discovered, only one right side to an issue that was threatening the national wellbeing. They were perturbed because the Government was continuing a thinly' disguised lottery system in the Dominion. There had been a time when the Reform Ministers determined to end it. A new trade was intercepting shoppers in every street, and diverting money needed for clothes and foods to bits of " Government-coloured " paper with a 10,000 to one chance of a prize. "This sort of petty gambling is like drugtaking; it becomes an irresistible habit." National Lottery The matter was developing in a further direction. There Avere proposals for a national lottery with the art union pretence abandoned. Those whom the deputation represented could conceive of few degradations that could be inflicted on this cpuntry more desolating than the establishment of such a national lottery. It was their earnest desire to impress the Minister with their sense of the seriousness of the situation. Archbishop Averill said the greatest asset of any country was the morality of its people and these lotteries were doing a very great deal to undermine ■ that keen sense of morality. Surely the general principle that money should not be obtained without work was a right one. The lottery was upsetting the whole of that principle. The idea beneath the lottery system was absolutely contrary to the spirit and intention of the Government at the present time. The excitement brought about by the hopes of big winning was extraordinarily bad for the character of the people. The Rev." W. Lawson Marsh said churches, police, social workers and all concerned were agreed that gambling was the great social menace of the day. Speaking with over 40 years' experience of Auckland, Archdeacon MacMurray said he had never seen such a deluge of gambling as in the last few years. He protested against these art union permits as an outrage to the Christian conscience. The Right Rev. D. D. Scott, moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly, associated himself with these speakers. Eight Applications a Day The Minister said he was glad to have an expression of opinion on an important matter of great social interest. While they represented a volume of opinion, he had been greatly impressed with the tremendous volume of opinion that was out to get the benefit of art unions. During the last week of the session he had an average of eight applications a day—so a week—from various interests desiring to take part in art unions. That kept up all the time. The deputation could see how widespread was the desire to obtain benefit from art unions. The depots for selling tickets on the streets that had been complained of were largely a matter for regulation by the municipal authorities. It had been urged that a large lottery in the Dominion would prevent money going out to these foreign lotteries, hut he was not of that opinion. He believed that since there was such a widespread desire to gamble it was bettor that the Government should control and regulate it a'ong certain lines and see that those who invested had "a clean run." This was a question of public opinion and he suggested there was a field of work for the deputation to carry on propaganda, because in a democracy it was public opinion for the time being that ruled the community. If they could create a strong volume of public opinion in favour of their views he wished them every success. ' Dr. North said they were very anxious that the Government should give a lead and not simply watch the trend of public opinion.