SWEEPSTAKES ILLEGAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 78, 11 March 1931, Page 5

SWEEPSTAKES ILLEGAL

BRITISH ANNOUNCEMENT DID ACT IS STILL IN FORCE I NO FREE STATE TICKETS _'• ' v ; ' LONDON, March 9. v ' :> in the House of Commons, ~ the ikon. J. R. dynes said that he had ".leeejved many representations for and against the legalising of raffles and ■■■■ »weep Stakes. After consideration of ■■■■ bitiiyhe did not believe that there was " anjr J general demand to justify the api ptiiutiSaent' of a committee to inquire iiuo the subject. ■v ■-. ■,; jilr^ciynes''decision is based on the Act- of 1823 and means that the sale of Irish sweep tickets in England is • illegal. *-* The- Attorney-General pointed out | * that between 1782 and 1823 an annual ' lottery in England was regulated by '"ail annual Act of Parliament. During "' the latter year lotteries were specifically prohibited and the Act is still in force?" j The Irish Free State hospitals sweepstake will be decided on the result Of •the Grand National,; to be run at Aiutree qft March 27. According to the tickets, the prizes are to be as follows: of winning horse, 30 per cent. of the,money available for distribution; . second horse, 15 per cent-; third horse, ■ • 10 pel* cent.; other horses entered 9 ■»- per cent- J 360 cash prizes, 36 per cent. \ "fie amount distributed is 75 per cent. 1 of- tU'o total, less costs as allowed by ! the Irish law on the sjibject. ■ - 'ln the past ceftain Dublin hospitals - have'been in receipt of State grants •■■»'-of va'rying sums, but the Irish Tree 1 Government has now decided that ' tbbse institutions which participate in tte sweepstake will be deprived of . their State grants next year. The Richmond, Whitworth and Hardwicke hos- ..: pitalst.haye .been already in" n nned that :.-, ,theij:.*pnual grant of £SOOO will probM aWy cease. Nine Dublin hospitals real .Jfijliv-e.> annual grants from the Governamounting in all to £13,000. This ■t, ar,ranfjßHi6Et was made in 1854 by the ♦ j,British*-Parliament. In future, apparently* ;o*ly those hospitals which have refused >t» take part in the sweepstake will"bet assisted by the State and the «r Free?.-State Exchequer will benefit by : -»£he amount of the grants which formerly were made to participating insti:'iAutioaa. 'iv. "'.