A BIG ART UNION.

NZ Truth, Issue 1063, 8 April 1926, Page 3

A BIG ART UNION.

HOW IT IS DRAWN.

In view of the early drawing of the Grand National Raffle which positively takes place on April . 19, as stated on tickets, it win be of interest to read of the method now employed 'by the important art unions. There is no gainsaying that the system used by several of the earlier £rt unions iwas decidedly clumsy. This consisted of putting the large ,number of butts—scraps >of paper— into a big barrel and drawing a number of butts therefrom. The crudeness of this method was very apparent to the onlookers. The deadweight of paper ; prevented anything like a good shake-up taking place when a few revolutions were attempted; . at one drawing the unwieldly barrel persisted m falling off its supports much to the amusement of the spectators. But to describe the more up-to-date system. In the ipopular Grand National Raffle (the first one to use the double ibutt, absolutely ensuring participation m the ballot), it must first be explained that all tickets issued are of numbers containing five figures. The lowest number m each letter is 20,000, and f;he highest 99,999. Instead of an enormous barrel stuffed with scraps of paper, m the Grand National numbered marbles are used, for the drawing of prizes. Simultaneous with a member of committee drawing from a small barrel a marble to denote the number of one of j oT the 239 prizes, another official (or a person from the audience) draws a ] marble from one of the five bags used' for the drawing of the winning numbers. Of these five bags, the one on the left contains only the numbers 2 to 9. Suppose a "Z'Ms drawn, then "2 1 ' will be the first figure of the fiVefigure number to be a prize. From the next bag (which .contains marbles from 0 to 9) a marble is drawn, say a "6." From the third foag say a < 4< 0;" from the fourth bag perhaps a "7" and then only the unit remains to be drawn from the last 'bag to complete the fiver figure number. Suppose a "3,"t and we have N, 26073. ■ Coincident with the announcing of the full number and the number of the prize, the letter of the is, drawn from another bag, tKus completing the combination say, No. 26073 C. A wonderfully simple process and without doubt the fairest for everyone, as it is so easy to give each bag a good shake every time. But what about the immediate announcement of name and address of winners? The most satisfactory part of the Grand National Raffle , is the book-keeping and audit system. Apart from the assurance of the double ibutt, there is a double check on every tickejt bought and paid for. The books "Qf record and cash-:book (all supplied from headquarters) used by the district agents hold the agents to account for every ticket sold or unsold. As their weekly returns reach headquarters ;at Oamaru all records are ; carefully checked and tabulated by a trained staff under competent supervisors. Thus it is that' when a compjete number is announced the-' records show m a moment whether that number of; ticket was sold. If it proves to be an unsold ticket the prize is drawn for again. Somebody must get it, of course; Under this system, instead of thousands of holders never being m the running, as m the scrap of paper method, on the evening of April 19 the magic' marbles will respond to the call of those whom, fortune has decided to favour. Someone must : get the three thousand goldejn guineas. ',