The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1933. THE LOTTERY FEVER.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1933, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1933. THE LOTTERY FEVER.

Tr is rather remarkable that the lottery fever shows no signs of abating cespite the hard times. Probably the so termed depression, is a spur to action, in the hope that it will be po-tsibie to get rich quick. However that may be, the spirit is very prevalent alike m the Commonwealth and the Dominion, and tho lotteries fiem* risk. In New South "Wales, tho Gov-ernment-directed lottery is patronised very liberally and drawings 'are frequent, Its popularity threatens the hitherto ever green T'attei'salls, which before the rival came on the scene has flourished greatly in Tasmania. In New Zealand we have the more modestly termed art unions, which name smells as sweet to winners as does the more common place name of lottery. The works of art (are not to the fore in the Dominion scheme, that camouflage having disappeared entirely, and prizes are distributed by lot or chance in the same manner as any ordinary lottery. The prizes a re the attractions, and being in money values of substantial amounts, are very acceptable to tlie lucky ones. The disposition of New Zealand citizens to test the game of chance has resulted in outside promotions finding a good market in New Zealand also. This week thoughts of venturesome investors are turned to Danzig and Ireland, where large sweep consultations are being decided. The former has an established representation in this country known as the British and Foreign Concessions Ltd., with htVidqcarters at Auckland. It Wf i3 proposed to .distribute £50,C00 in prizes, and the rich first prize of £15,COO doubtless , drew much g-ood colonial money across the seas. But all countries were not as gulllible as this, for a lij.te message show the prize money was fixed at only a little'cvef thirteen per cent, of tho advertised amount! Instead of the £50,000, there is less than £3,5C0, for distribution! The means of get rich quick for the lucky winners will be >a much reduced amount, Despite restrictions and embargo a large amount of money has gone out of the country for the Irish Free State, and we join with the investors in honing a goodly .slice of it will come back to the country. Much money, also, has been going out of New Zealand for years new to Australian sweeps. Tattersalls has been a popular “investment” for years with the sporting fraternity, and now the New South Wales sweeps are popular. Instead of being based on race results the sweeps are now drawn as fast as they fill for firt, second and third prizes and so many cash prizes of varying value. This suits the public taste, and is more popular than the home made art union, which absorbs a large 'amount of the sum subscribed for deserving objects. This is the more commendable of the methods, but it is not as popular because the “pool” means the earmarking of so much money for objects and institutions which are not local in their operations. Incidentally, too, the Government now desires a ticket tax and that helps in its way to balance the budget. There is such a widespread disposition to invest in these schemes for making a quick profit (and so much money goes out of the country for that purpose) 'that it would be better to make the local proposal more attractive for the investing public, and retain more of the money in our own country, instead of doing so much to bolster up the lotteries of other countries.