RAFFLING A MOTOR-CAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2359, 15 January 1915, Page 7

RAFFLING A MOTOR-CAR

-J PROMOTER PROSECUTED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auokland, January 14. An advertisement recently appeared in several newspapers calling attention to the raffling of a new motor-car. The car was claimed to be the last one shipped from Liege, tickets for it being on sale at 10s. All money recoived was to be devoted to the Belgian Relief Fund, The car, which was worth about £350, was duly drawn for, the total proceeds from the sale of tickets amounting to £512 being paid over to the Belgian Relief Fund, but since no permission had been obtained for holding of such a raffle the promoter, William Matthew Russell, was summoned in the Police Court, being charged with having established a lottery contrary to the provisions of the Gaming Act. ' The defendant did not appear, but Mr. A. E. Skelton, instructed by the Belgian Relief Fund Committee, entered a plea of not guilty. The defendant, he said, was acting as agent ■ for the maker of the oar which waß raffled. The raffle was promoted in anticipation of obtaining permission, which, however, was not granted. The whole transaction wa.s above suspicion, the drawing taking' place in the presence of an influential committee, all money received was handed over to the fund, the defendant actually being out of pocket over the transaction. Counsel admitted that the law had been broken, but he could not conceive of any more laudable object for which the law could be broken. Any fino imposed upon the defendant would be paid by the members of the Relief Fund Committee out of their own pockets, as thoy had taken all the responsibility for the raffle. "All that you have said is simply an attempt to prove that the end justifies the means," said Mr. B. C. Cuttcn, S.M., to counsel. "In law Courts it can never do that." His Worship said he would consider the matter, and give his decision to-morrow morning.