ILLEGAL ART UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1932, Page 2

ILLEGAL ART UNION

TICKETS SOLD AT HAMILTON. UNEMPLOYED MAN FINED. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) ' * -' i AUCKLAND, July 28. Charges of promoting $u illegal art union and being idle and disorderly were preferred against William Winter Browne, aged 52, a single man, in the Hamilton Police Court. Senior Sergeant Svvedney said accused arrived at Hamilton from Auckland on Thursday, and on Saturday morning he started selling art union tickets at 6d each, and exhibited several articles to be disposed of by lottery. When arrested lie frankly admitted he had been earning a livelihood in this manner for some months. Accused had 2000 tickets printed in Auckland, and on the tickets it was stated that the proceeds of the art union were for returned soldiers. He said that accused admitted raffling cushions, table centres, and lampshades, made by a Hamilton woman. He admitted that lie had no license from the Minister to conduct an art union. Constable Watts produced a bundle of tickets, 45 of which were sold in Hamilton on Saturday, and a box of marbles used in connection with the raffles. Counsel for the defence pleaded that accused could not he classed as a vagabond. He was a victim of circumstances and had constant work as' a film operator before the depression. His custom was to 'solicit orders for articles before suggesting the purchase of a ticket. He was unfit for relief works, and u-as attempting to secure enough money for a necessary operation,

Mr F. W. Platts, S.M., dismissed the vagrancy charge. He said the jecond charge was a serious one, and an offender was liable to a fine of £2OO, or six months’ imprisonment. He fined Browne £lO.