£1550 RAISED.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20500, 19 March 1932, Page 14

£1550 RAISED.

RESULT OF STREET APPEAL. RELIEF OF DISTRESS. CITIZENS' GENEROUS RESPONSE. The struct appeal yesterday on behalf of the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund resulted in the collection of £1550, and it is expected that the total will reach £I6OO when to-day's collections arc added. The approximate total given out at 10.45 p.m. yesterday does not include the £SO which a "Doubting Thomas" in Wellington undertook to subscribe in the event of the £ISOO aimed at being reached. Progress Reports. The day's achievement is summarised in the progress reports issued at intervals.. The call for 500 collectors resulted t in a response of COO. About 150 constituted the first shift, which started at 7.45 a.m. The first progress report was issued at 10 a.m., and during the day the reports were issued hourly; in the evening they appeared at varying intervals. The following table gives the totals at "the hours set out: — A.M. £ a. d. P.M. £ s. d. 10 , . 115 19 6 3 . . 840 0 3 11 .. 152 11 8 4 .. 1009 0 0 Noon 415 4 8 5 .. 1100 0 0 P.M. 6 .. 1240 9 7 1 .. 5C5 15 0 7 .. 127S 22 2 .. 716 15 2 In the evening totals were given as follows: — P.M. £ P.M. £ 7.30 .. 1:520 9.30 .. 1455 8 .. 1346 10 .. 1497 8.3(1 .. 1380 10.10 .. 1500 .9 .. 1395 10.45 .. 1550 Wide Field Covered. Unlike the majority of street appeals, yesterday's effort was not restricted to the centre of the City, a much wider area being thoroughly combed. The region covered in addition to the heart of the City included Papanui, Woolston, Riccarton, Addington, Sydenham. Spreydon, and St. Albans. The collection in the City itself was intensive, shops and offices being visited. In the evening something in the nature of an S.O.S. message was put over the wireless, and as a result subscriptions were received by telephone, the total amounting to £2l 6s 6d. Subscriptions ranged from 2s Cd upwards. When the £ISOO mark was reached no one was more gratified than the Mayoress (Mrs D. G. Sullivan). , "Magnificent Response." "I think we ought now to express our appreciation to the public for their magnificent response," said Mr J. W. Hillary, chairman of the All Nations Fair General Cofnniittee, addressing the headquarters staff and some of the collectors after the £ISOO mark was reached. Mr Hillary said that the boxes had contained many notes, half-notes, silver coins, and even half-pennies, showing that everyone had united in the effort. He believed that the day's effort had bound all the citizens closer in a bond of sympathy. He had to announce that the total at that time (10.30 p.m.) was £lslO. (Continued applause.) Except for the street collection in connexion with the Hawke's Bay earthquake, and collections made during tho war period, this was easily a Tecord for Christchurch. (Applause.) Organiser Eulogised. It was only a little more than two weeks ago that the executive decided upon the street appeal, and approached Mr S. W. Jameson, whose name was connected with successful street appeals, to organise it. Mr Jameson told tho executive that it would require two months to work it up successfully, but they told him that the distress was so great; that it was impossible to give him more than two weeks. He had thrown his heart and soul into the work, and to Mr Jameson's efforts the success of the day's appeal was due to a great extent. During the week Mr Jameson and his staff had been working till close on midnight every day. They could not express their appreciation of Mr Jameson's work in too generous terms. (Applause.) Helpers Thanked. He desired to thank the Press for the wonderful publicity given the appeal. (Applause.) He did not think any appeal had had greater and finer publicity. Mr Hillary also thanked the following:' The Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), and the Mayoress, the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville) and Mrs Neville, the City Council staff, Mrs Adatia, Mrs G. Williams, Mrs A. Morten, Mrs C. S. McCully, Miss Gwen Andrews, and Miss Aitken, who, with the Mayoress, had looked after the catering, Mr ,J. F. Eames, Mr R. Browning, Misses Turner and Morrison of. Mr Jameson's staff, Miss R. Nibloclc, secretary of this Street Appeal Committee, Misses P. Mackenzie, and Mary Kent, Mr J. S. Hawkes, who had organised the supply of motor-cars, and the staff at Headquarters (the City Council building),, consisting of Mrs S. W. Jameson, Miss D. Innes, Messrs T. H. Bruce, P. G. Grant, E. H. S. Hamilton, J. Voss, ami 'C. Virtue, and the Publicity committee, Messrs A. E. Purse, J. J. Staples, T. E. Brown, and . J. L. Hay. The prizes won in connexion with the evening collection, Mr Hillary said, would be announced at to-morrow evening's concert. He announced that a special prize had been awarded Peter Dow, 121 Harbour street, a youth who had been collecting practically without intermission from 7 a.m. till after 10 p.m. and had brought in a total of £l4. The Collectors. The 600 collectors included, in addition to many individuals, members of the Navy League, Federation of Congregational' Women, Bible classes of all denominations, Salvation Army, Training College students, Mothers' Union, Hihernian Society, Rotary Club, Optimists' Club, Y.W.C.A., ST.M.C.A., St. James', Riccarton, Women's Executive of AH Nations Fair, representatives from women's committees and associations Beath and Co., Vacuum Oil ComDanv' Office Equipment Company, Real Art Studio, City Council, M.E.D., reoresentatives of The Pbess, "Times," and ''Star," members of J. C. Williamson and Co.'s opera company, Mrs j C Holmes and helpers, Mrs 11. Williams and helpers, and many others who lent cars and assisted, in various ways. Special gifts included a cheque for £loo' from the Hyman Marks Trust, and £25 from the Jessie Ballantyue Trust.

THE MAYOR GRATIFIED. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 18. When acquainted this evening with the fact that the street collection in aid of the Mayor's' Fund had resulted in £1550 being subscribed, Mr D. G. Sallivan said, considering the shortage of money, he thought the result was magnificent. To all those who had helped, he wished to express his gratitude for their generous service in time and money, and he would assure them that those who received help would be those who most ncoded and deserved it. The £1550 represented a sacrifice on the part of the givers equal to double that amount in normal times.