ART UNIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1933, Page 4

ART UNIONS

PROCEEDS ALLOCATION POLICY. EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. (F*r Press Association— vopyrigki f AUCKLAND,. August 15. The policy followed by the committee of Cabinet in allocating .art union proceeds was explained by tfie Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young), to a deputation. He said that the lists of applicants for participation in art union profits contained nearly a thousand names. He had classified A and P, Societies as semi-official bodies, performing efficient community service. At present many were finding' it difficult to pay their way, and where- their " overdrafts had been guaranteed, "banks: u were now looking to the-guarantors to * meet the interest. -Many guarantors' were in a worse position than the associations themselves. He looked with favour on helping such organisations, but he had laid it down that no assistance should be given for the building up of reserves or creating new assets. A new phase had developed with demands for assistance from social relief organisations. Such applications had streamed in, and, in winter, such, claims could not be ignored. The sum-, of £30,000 had been devoted to relief’ from the last three art unions. The. basis of such grants was the most recent return of unemployment registrations. Some applications for shades in profits had no merit, including some forms of sport, where the patrons: drove up in £IOOO cars, if such sports: could not get funds from their adhere ents, thev were not the sort of organisations to be helped from art union proceeds at the present time.