HARDLY A LOTTERY THAT IS NOT ILLEGAL

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1946, Page 6

HARDLY A LOTTERY THAT IS NOT ILLEGAL

—Press Association

By Telegraph-

WHANGAREI, April 29. Iu the opinion of Mr. Harlcy, S.3I., most of the lolteries being held in New Zealand are illegal. He cxpressed liimstJf thus in court this morning wlien Artliur Manson, organiser for the Whangarei Progressive Society and Whangarei Returned Servicemen's As sociation, was prosecuied on a lottery charge •wliicli was later aniended to assisting in managing for the purposes of a lottery. To eomplete the purchase of land is was inteudcd to present to the borougli, the society couducted a carnival and to raise fuiids to erect elub rooms the association obtained a permit to conduct an art union. Both coujointly had been conducting an illegal raffle for a mptorcar which liad been purchased for £555. A jiproximately 10,900 of 10,000 tickets printed had been sold at two shillings cach. A coinmission of 7 per cent was to be paid to Manson ou the net proceeds of the cainpaign. The tickets nre now witlidrawn but it is understood the two organisations intended to keep fiiilh with rlie purchasers. The car raffle was authorised by the eommittec and Manson simply carricd out instructions, said defendant's counsel. "It is difficult for the court to know what to do in this sort of case," said the magistrate. "There is liardly a raffle in New Zealand that is not illegal. That is a general statement and they are contrary to the existing law. In scme the position is being loolced at and in other persecutions are being brought before the court which is placed in a difficult position. All I am prepared to do in the eircumstanees, is to convict Manson and order liim to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon, and to pay the costs of the prosecution if any. Costs amounted to 10s.