Art Unions Act 1850 No 13a (NSW)

No. XIII.

An Act for legalizing Art Unions. [ 1 0 ^ Sep­

tember, 1850.]

WHEREAS certain voluntary Associations have been and may under the name of Art Unions for the purchase of paintings drawings hereafter be formed in various parts of New South Wales

penalties imposed by law on persons concerned in lotteries little- goes and unlawful sanies And whereas it is expedient that all members

or other works of Art to be afterwards allotted and distributed by chance or otherwise among the several members subscribers or con­ tributors forming part of such Associations or for raising sums of money by subscription or contribution to be allotted and distributed by chance or otherwise as prizes amongst the members subscribers or contributors forming part of such Associations on the condition never­ theless that such sums of money so allotted and distributed be expended solely and entirely in the purchase of paintings drawings or other works of Art And whereas such allotment and distribution of paintings drawings or other works of Art or of sums of money for their purchase and the proceedings taken to carry the same into effect may be deemed and taken to come within the provisions of the several laws passed for the prevention of lotteries littlegoes and unlawful games whereby the members subscribers or contributors of such Associations as aforesaid or persons acting under their authority

or on their behalf may be liable or subjected to certain pains and

members of and subscribers and contributors to such voluntary Associations as aforesaid and all persons acting under their authority or on their behalf so long only as their proceedings are carried on in good faith for the encouragement of the Fine Arts shall be discharged and protected from any pains and penalties to which they may have rendered themselves liable by reason of any such their proceedings as aforesaid Be it therefore enacted by His Excellency the Governor of New South Wales by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof That all such voluntary Associations as aforesaid now constituted or which may hereafter be constituted according to the provisions hereinafter contained shall be deemed to be lawful Associations and the members of and subscribers and contri­ butors to all such lawful Associations and all persons acting under their authority or on their behalf for the purposes aforesaid shall be freed and discharged from all pains and penalties suits prosecutions and liabilities to which by law they would be liable but for the passing of this Act as being concerned in illegal lotteries littlegoes or unlawful games by reason of anything done or which may be done by them or any of them in furtherance of the allotment or distribution by scheme or otherwise of paintings drawings or other works of Art or of the allotment or distribution of sums of money as prizes to be expended for their purchase Provided always that a charter or charters from

I Lis Excellency the Governor of New South Wales with the advice of
the Executive Council thereof shall have been first obtained for the incorporation of any such Association or provided that the deed of partnership or other instrument or instruments constituting such Association and the rules and regulations relating to the proceedings of such Association for such purposes as aforesaid shall have first been submitted to the consideration and be approved of by Her Majesty's Attorney General for the said Colony and a copy thereof duly certified by the said Attorney General be deposited with the Clerk of the Executive Council and that it shall he expressed in every such charter deed or instrument that it shall be lawful for the said Governor and Executive Council whenever it shall appear to them that any such Association is perverted from the purposes of this Act to revoke or annul the charter deed or instrument under which the Association so offending shall have been constituted and nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed to apply to any Association whose charter deed of partnership or other instrument constituting the same shall have been so revoked or annulled and every revocation thereof shall be made by
Minute or Resolution of the Executive Council and a copy of any such
Minute or Resolution certified and signed by the Clerk of the said
Executive Council shall be received as evidence of the revocation or annulling thereof without further proof.
2. And be it enacted That all persons being members of any such Art Union as is specified in this Act shall be discharged and freed from all suits and prosecutions liabilities pains and penalties to which by law they might be liable as being concerned in lotteries littlegoes or other unlawful games for anything which may have been done by them or any of them as members of such Art Union before the passing of this Act touching the purchase of any picture or other work of Art or the sale or distribution thereof by chance or lot.

3. And be it enacted That this Act may be amended or repealed

by any Act to be passed in this present Session of the Legislative
Council.

No. XIV.