BELGIAN FUND RAFFLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1915, Page 3

BELGIAN FUND RAFFLE.

THE PROMOTER PROSECUTED. Pb* Press Association. Auckland, January 14. Au advertisement recently appealed in several newspapers calling attention ,t;o t|ie piffling of a ‘new motor car. The car was claimed to lie the last one shipped from Liege, tickets for it being on sale at ten,, shillings each. All the money received was to be devoted to the Belgian relief fund. The car, which was worth about £350, was duly diawu for, the total proceeds, amounting to £512, being paid over to the Belgian, relief fund, but since no permission had been obtained for holding the raffle the promoter, William M. Bussell, was summoned in the Police Court, being charged with having established a lottery. .

Defendant did not appear, but Mr A. E. Skelton, instructed by the Belgian relief fund committee, entered a plea of pot guilty. The defendant, be said, was acting as agent for the maker of the car which was raffled. The raffle was promoted in anticipation of obtaining permission which was not granted. The whole transaction was above suspicion, the drawing taking place in the presence of an influential committee, and all the money received was handed over to the fund, the deei plant actually being out of pocket over the transaction. Counsel admitted that the law had been broken, but he could not conceive any more laudable object or which the law could be broken. Any fine imposed upon defendant would be paid by the members of the relief fund out of their own pockets, as they had taken all the responsibility for the raffle.

“All that you have, said is simply an attempt to prove that the end justifies the means,” said Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., to counsel. “In law courts it can never do that.” His Worship said he would consider the matter, and give his to-morrow morning.