INQUIRY INTO GOLDEN CASKET ART UNIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 December 1949, Page 5

INQUIRY INTO GOLDEN CASKET ART UNIONS

BRISBANE. Dec. 22 The Royal Commission on the conduct of the Golden Casket lotteries is specifically directed to investigate the first prize of £25,000 won in 1936 by P. J. Hanlon. brother of the Premier, Mr. E. Hanlon. The Commission will also inquire into the drawings of lotteries No. 1367 and No. 1241. The first prize in lottery 1367, of July 8. 1949, was paid to L. E. Gray, a principal of Golden Investments: and the first prize in lottery 1241 of June 16 1948, was won by D. C. Gray. Other points in the inquiry will be, first, whether the present practice in the sale and purchase of unsold returned tickets is satisfactory, and, second, whether the legal relationship between the Golden Casket art union and its agents, including Golden Investments, is open to doubt. The Commission is expected to begin sitting in Brisbane about January 16. A feature of the Commission, which will comprise Mr. Justice Mansfield. Mr. E A. Grosser. Auditor-General, and Mr. R. D. Huish, State president of the Returned Servicemen's League, is that no member is connected with the Government. The setting up of the Commission was recommended by the Premier. Mr. Hanlon, at his first Cabinet meeting after returning from London. In his absence the Casket debate in the Queensland Parliament produced rowdy scenes, culminating in the suspension of three members and a fight between a Minister and a private member. The resultant publicity has been named as one of the main reasons for the anti-Labour landslide in Queens* land in the Federal election.