ART UNIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1925, Page 1

ART UNIONS.

A GROAYrXG NUISANCE. SYDNEY. May 8. A recent art union for a worthy cause, for which the public subscribed a very large >um. the great bulk of which was swallowed up in expenses, has again given rise to an in,si.-,tent demand on the part ol the public, either for Hie abolition of these enterprise.-, or for lheir reform. The art union, like the poor, seem to bo always with us in Sydney, until the ticket-selling business oil the boats, in the streets, i offices, and in all sorts of other places

has come to lie a nuisance. Sydney i: a place where it is necessary to lianl'M the heart, for if one is not being ac costed by people—very ol ten gillswith art union tickets, he is being buttonlioled liv begging persons with al sorts of pitiable stories. Many peoph: liny these art union tickets simply to get rid of those who are selling them, l'n fact, the people who buy tickets in this way. and who never trouble to see whether they have won prizes or not. are almost countless. The drawings have in many cases been very loosely conducted. The latest revelation suggests that if hospitals and other charities have to he helped voluntarily, the best wav is to embark on some such scheme as is in operation in Queensland under the aegis of the State. Quite an army of people now exist in Sydney by selling art union tickets. Not a fetv of them simply 101 l about all day in the motor-ears which are displayed as prizes.

One would expect- a Government that puts an embargo upon tickets for sweeps. l>ut hypocritically collects in-come-tax on the winnings to put a stop to these art union .scandals that arc becoming so flagrant.