SUSPECTED SWINDLE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1930, Page 6

SUSPECTED SWINDLE

OVER ABT UNIONS

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 30,

A suspected swindle in connection with a nig Australian art union was reported to the Auckland police by. the Queensland Police Commissioner some weeks ago. As a result, Detec-tive-Sergeant P, Doyle and Detective O’Sullivan 'were assigned the task of investigating the matter, and they have arrested a ’suspect.

The art union involved, the Golden Casket-Ai't . Union, is conducted regularly by the Queensland Government at Brisbane. it is drawn every month or so under Government authority and supervision, anu in the presence of the Press and the public. One hundred thousand tickets are printed and each is sold for os 3d, including 3d for the Government tax. The proceeds are given to hospitals andbaby clinics According to a ciioulm advertising the' art union, there are no promoters’ profits, and those who desire tickets are asked to apply direct to "the head office in Brisbane, it is’ further stated that there is no embargo on the delivery of Golden Casket iha.il to or Horn any State in. the Commonwealth of Australia, ibis does not apply to New Zealand, where The art union, like another wellknown “sweep,” is illegal. The first prize in the Golden Casket is £SOIXI, the second £IOOO, and the third £SOO, and there are hundreds of other prizes ranging from 200 at £lO to 2U of £IOO.

It recently became known in Brisbane that bogus tickets, similar to genuine tickets, wore being sold in Auckland. These tickets Ibore numbers but did not contain the imprint of tile person or linn, responsible for printing them. Many people who have been unfortunate enough to purchase these have invested their money in a in which the prizes are all blanks. None of these tickets sold is genuine, and none is included in the prizedrawing. The tickets have been sold at hotels and shops, and many people who have bought them have been waiting for a long while to hear the result. 0 The police have some of these tickets in their possession. Yesterday Detective-Sergeant Doyle, of Opotiki, arrested William Thomas Watson, a plumber, aged 41, on the charge, of false pretences. This morning Watson appeared before Mr •!’. K. Hunt, 84*.,. and n d™-ged with, on or about April 7th, at AuckT r nidi obtaining from William Charles Dulicu 5s 6d by falsely representing that ’a- ticket purporting to be No. 9.66 in the Golden Casket Art Union, bearing ..uniter 7801, was issued by the Golden Casket Art Union, Brisbane, bv the authority of the Queensland Government. ~ ■ Chief-Detective Hammond obtained a remand until'July .4th. “There are a number ot snniiai pending against accused,' said Mr Hammond. “It is allegu that he got a lot of tickets Printed. Quite a number,have been sold at os 6d. Dur investigations (show that Watson is at the root of .the evil.” Accused was allowed bail in tlic sum of £IOO.