AID BY LOTTERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 191, 14 August 1931, Page 10

AID BY LOTTERY

A NATIONAL SCHEME FOR RELIEF OF DISTRESS A CONEERENCE PROPOSED, In the course of an address to the Wellington branca of the Red Cross Society on Tuesday, Dr. R. Campbell Begg gave details of the measures he has brought forward for dealing with distress on a national basis, and said that xvhen the central organisation was set up it could perhaps, when all the usual channels had been tried to obtain funds, have, as an emergency measure, the right to run an art union or lottery.

the proceeds from which xvouid go towards the relief of distress. Dr. Begg made it cle*ar that he was not in favour of lotteries or art unions as a rule. In reply to a question if he waf in favour of a lottery on the lines of a wellknown Australian sweep being run, Dr. Begg said that a large amount of money was leaving the country to purchase tickets in overseas art unions and lotteries, and if a national lottery was agreed upon it should be a big thing, equal to any other in the xvorld. In Sydney, people lined up in queues to buy tickets in the hospital lotteries. The strongest opponents of gambling would regret the amount of money leaving the country to be invested in overseas lotteries. Money was being raised for quite worthy objects by art unions, but none of these was for a more urgent need than the relief of distress. Captain AL S. Galloway, sechetary of the branch, said that permits for art unions had been granted up till two years ahead, and he raised the question whether the Minister of Internal Affairs had power to cancel these permits to make way for a national relief scheme. Personally, he xvas adverse to unions, as he thought that they had a deleterious effect upon the character of the people. However, it had been shown in New South Wales that the people preferred to give through art unions rather than in a straight-out manner. At the conclusion of the meeting a motion was agreed to unanimously that a conference should be held between the various charitable organisations and the hospital authorities to further the proposals brought forward by Dr. Begg. DUNEDIN PROPOSALCITY MAYORS CONSULTED. A proposal that a big art union should be promoted for the relief of distress in the four centres has been made by the Mayor (Mr. 11. S. Black), who has written in the following terms to the Mayors of Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland (states the Otago Daily Times): <X I have been approached by some people who suggest that an art union for relief of distress should be applied for to the Minister of Internal Affairs, and that the Mayors of the cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin should be the trustees. The advertising people of Dunedin have guaranteed to find the gold for the prizes, so there will bo uo expense on our part. I take it, of course, that the gold will be returned when the prizes are given out. The suggestion is that the four cities share equally in the proceeds of the art union. As you know, quite a number of art unions have been run for the benefit of sports, and you will agree with me that the relief of distress is a much more worthy object and should receive the liberal support of the whole of New Zealand. The matter of expense of running it (advertising, etc.), will be kept within reasonable bounds, and I feel sure the people will give readily especially when there is a chance of gaining a liberal

pnze. ’ ■ DEBASING ENTERPRISE. ’ ’ DUNEDIN, August 8. The executive of the Council of Christian Congregations, which represents the various Christian churches of Dunedin, unanimously agreed to-day upon the following resolution: — “The executive of the Council of Christian Congregations deprecates and deplores the plausible but pernicious proposal made by the Mayor that an art union should be promoted for the relief of distress funds. Hitherto we have had occasion to feel proud of the way in which in New Zealand both Government and local bodies have resisted all suggestions that public moneys should be raised by such an undesirable method. Enterprises of this character are debasing to the moral and economic interests of the community, and inevitably will lead to the drying-up of the generosity of many of those now contributing to relief funds. At a time when the return of prosperity is so vitally related to the quality of character, any action likely to lower the moral standards or to destroy the sense of civic responsibility, is to be deplored. The executive of the Council of Christian Congregations particularly re grets that such a suggestion should have been made by the Mayor of Dunedin, a city with an enviable record for the high tone of its civic life and its public generosity." FURTHER CONDEMNATION. DUNEDIN, August 8. The suggestion of the Mayor, Mr. R S. Black, that a big art union should be promoted in the main centres for un employment relief, is strongly opposed by the convener of the Presbyterian Assembly Public Question Committee and the Council of Christian Churches The former writes: — “As Mayor, Mr. R. S. Black should represent the mind of the citizens, and he must be aware of the condemnation of art unions by churches and other public bodies. The Presbyterian Church has registered strong disapproval of the licensing of art unions (so-called) by the present Minister of Internal Affairs and has received the support of the Anglican. Methodist, Congregational, Bap list, Church of Christ, and Salvation Army representatives."