IRISH SWEEPS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1932, Page 6

IRISH SWEEPS

IMMENSE UNDERTAKING. MEN BEHIND THE SCENES Out of comparatively short beginnings, tho Irish Free State sweepstakes have grown into a huge industry. Toward the end of the November sweep 3UOO peaple were employed and the wage bill amounted to over £IOO,OOO during the live month of preparation. Less than eighteen months ago, when the first sweepstake was organised, not more than a score of people were employed. Until the passing of the Hospitals Charities Act early in 1930, sweepstakes of any kind were illegal in the Irish Free State, as they still are in Britain. The Act was passed with the particular object of organising sweepstakes to keep the voluntary hospitals of the Free State, which were in a very parlous cond t.on. There were six hospitals included in the first sweep, and it was hoped to he able to divide about £20,000. Instead about £135,000 was divided. The sweep has grown by tremendous strides and, and including th amount in the last instance, the hospitals have received over £2,030,000.- The number of hospitals participating lias increased, and now nearly 50 voluntary, as well as county homes, benfit. MR COSGEAVE’S OPPOSITION. The Bill was introduced early in 1930 in the Dail by Sir James Craig, an independent member and an eminent Duulin surgeon. Its passing was lift a tree vote of the House, and among those who voted against it were r'l'eaktent Cosgrave and Mr Fitz Gerald ..Minister for Justice, into tiie hands ot the latter the administration of the Act was placed.

So huge lias the undertaking become that Sir James Craig recently declared that lie was appalled at its magnificence. When he iiad first introduced tiie measure lie had ne\er dreamt that the sweeps would develop to such a colossal extent.

Under the Act the initiation and control of the sweepstakes are in the hands of an influential committee. There is only one representative of tho various participating hospitals on the committee. Until a recent amending Act was passed this committee initiated the scheme for sweeps, fixed the division of the pme-money, cost of the tickets, number of hospitals that would participate, and the percentage that each would receive, and all this was submitted to the Minister for Justice for his approval. The hospitals must receive 25 per cent, -of the total proceeds. When the Minister appoves of the scheme the oganisation and running of the sweep is given over to the Hospitals Trust, Limited, a comp ny to which the Act gives authority. BOOKMAKER AS ORIGIN AT uR ‘ Mr McGrath, who is the' mmag.ng director of the sweeps, was a prominent figure in the pre-troatv AngioIrisli struggle and after the treaty was. Free State Minister of Industry and Commerce. Under him the first steps in the Shannon hydro-electricity proposal was taken. He resigned from the Government and was for some years Director of Labour on the Shannon scheme.

One of the originators of ,the sweep scheme is Mr Richard Duggan, probably the most outstanding bookmaker in Ireland. He has had much experience in the running of sweepstakes. His first sweep was organised on behalf of the victims of t)ie mail boat Lady Leinster, sunk in the Irish Channel by submarine in 191 S.

Under the Amending Art recently passed, an advisory committee was pppointed to allocate the amounts for the hospitals and to fix the number 1 1 nit will participate.