NOT A LOTTERY.

Shannon News, 17 February 1922, Page 4

NOT A LOTTERY.

IMPORTANT MAGISTERIAL DECISION.

A decision of mucli interest was delivered at the Palrherston Magistrate's Court by Mr J. L. Stout* S.M., in the case Police v. Collinson and Cunningharne, Ltd., (Mr Innes). The Magistrate, said: “The defendant company is charged with offences under sections 39 and 40 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1903. l do not think that the informations disclose any offence under those Sections, hut I propose to deal with the scheme called “free day” constituted by defendant company and to consider whether it offends against the provisions'of the sections mentioned. ! The scheme was advertised and was admittedly carried out in accordance with the advertised conditions, under it a certain day during a named period was ascertained, not by chance, but by mathematical calculation. This day was called “free day” and any persons purchasing goods at the siiop on that day were entitled to a l&fund in goods to the value of the same amount. The only element of chance was that the persons entitled to a refund happened to purchase goods on that day. The persons themselves were not ascertained by a lottery or by a method of chance of the nature of those mentioned by section 39, .out merely by the act of purchasing goods on that day, and as I have said The day itself was ascertained by mathematical calculation. In my opinion such a scheme does not contravene the provisions of section 39 of the Act and therefore the information must be dismissed.”