§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been called to the fact 1357 that one Kenneth J. Brand, describing himself as secretary, is now offering for sale tickets for a drawing, in the nature of a lottery, announced to be in aid of funds to furnish a hall for Edinburgh East Division Conservative Association; whether the drawing is advertised to take place on June 1; whether the prizes include cigars; whether Kenneth J. Brand is licensed to sell tobacco; and, whether the Government will take any action in the matter?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)I am making inquiry into this case. The hon. Member has supplied me with a list of prizes. Except as regard three framed engravings of Lords Beaconsfield, Salisbury, and Randolph Churchill, a photo album, and an embroidered silk draught screen, and, possibly, also Lord Beaconsfield's selected speeches, I cannot hold that they properly come under the description of works of art falling within the principle under which by Statute Art lotteries are made more moral than others. The list does include a box of cigars, and I am informed that Mr. Kenneth J. Brand has no licence to sell tobacco. I shall call the attention of the Inland Revenue to this part of the case. When my inquiries are complete, I shall be in a position to judge what action should be taken.