ART UNIONS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 8 March 1932, Page 8

ART UNIONS.

REQUESTS FOR PERMITS. GOVERNMENT'S NEW POLICY. [Fbom Oub Paruameniaky Repoetee.] WELLINGTON, March • 7. The Minister for Internal Affairs has lately received applications for art union permits from all parts of New Zealand and for- a' multiplicity of; purposes, from big developmental' "works to leagues for the hard of hearing and struggling local societies of variouß kinds, . It has been the- practice-in the past* to allocate the permits more or less in the order of precedence on the waiting list, though the Committee of : the -Cabinet which deals; with this question has varied'the list in several instances to allow a deserving cause to' iikve preference over others. It is learned that the future policy of the Government will be to concentrate more than previously upon deserving objects when the permits are being allocated, and where small societies or bodies have applications filed their art unions -tfill be grouped and the proceeds of the rafflo. divided. Assisting the Unemployed. . . Following tUis policy, the Minister, Hon. A. Hamilton, says it is proposed before this winter to grant _ a permit f<jr the condnct of an art union -with tho object of assisting th© unemployed,, for whom the funds, m some centres aro considered to be insufficient" for relief needs. The Minister sdded that in the past ventures like aero club's had been given their initial finance from the proceeds of art unions, but it was considered that, in future, those sections of the community who were struggling for existence would be regarded as of major importance, and, accordingly, be given preference., , It is expected that many of the ( applications now before the Minister'will be grouped and conducted as one art union, Cabinet choosing the most necessitous cases from, among the long list of waiting applicants. The Minister did not. disclose whether' the unemployed lottery would be " conducted by the State or through a central unem-. ployment executive representing the various places. Without Foundation. Referring to the statement made in Christchurch that the new policy of the Government was. to . compel the proceeds from art unions to be invested and allow the interest only to W used, Mr Hamilton said this was puro guesswork and without foundation. ,The proceeds of art unions, would be handed' over as had been done in the -past, and become the property of those for whom tho lottery had been conducted.