SWEET CHARITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1259, 16 October 1911, Page 5

SWEET CHARITY.

HELP FOR THE HOSPITAL, SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN. ROUGHLY NEARLY £500 TAKEN. The fairest of graces, Sweet Charity, [ had Wellington at her feet on Saturday, i All clay long her forces Mere abroad in the streets of ilio city, campaigning: for tho hospital. Outposts of tho Red Cross ai'my wore stationed at every street cornier, their arms and equipment consisting of bright smiles, pleading glances, and collecting boxes, which t.hc,y rattled most suggestively—and effectively. They had no regular uniform, these soldiers of the Itud Cross, lor they were not conscripts--merely volunteers. Tho badgo and tho box wero their credentials. Wliat policeman could there have been ' found to tell them to ""move on"? Tho weather was all in favour of tho ■hospital campaigner. Tho bright sunshine thawed the springs of benevolence, loosened tho pursa-strinss, opened the pockets. Money rattled into the boxes by halfpence, pennies, threepenny-bits, sixpences shillings, florins, naif-crowns. Thi-i'o was 'even a glint of gold—one sovereign and two half-sovereigns found their way into Sweet Charity's hoard. Also, thero was a small oompany of derelicts—five or six lxid sixpences, somo buttons, a hairpin, or tiro, and actually some tin-tacks. Two Little Maids, Speaking generally, tho campaign [ was dovoid of incident. Thoio was, of course, tho fancy dress cricket match at' the Basin Reserve, when "Our Miss Gibbs," of tho Opera House, met and defeated a team from the Wellington Hospital. Then th'ero wero two miniature soldiers of tho Rod Cross, attired as hospital nurses. Ono of these, littlo Miss Jean Muir, was taken in chargo of by a good-natured waterside-worker, and escorted about tho wharves. She collected X 4 10s. 2.W1. Tho other, littlo Miss Joyce Rivcre, took up her post at Kelburno Avenue. Sho collected XI 4s. 7{d. Then there was an interesting "G.P." —ex-paticnts of tho hospital who manifest a desire to show their gratitude to tho staff of tho institution for kindly caro and treatment in their days of sickness, i aro professionally referred to as "G.P.'s" i —"grateful patients." Ono of thoso , "G.P.'s," with a younger sister, took up her stand at tho Albert Hotel corner, and ' positively declined to be relioved for a : rest and refreshments. For something liko twelvo hours sho remained oil duty, and when her box was opened, Xl 7 Kis. 3Jd. rattled out' on tho tablo before tho admiring tellers. Street Collections: £200 3s. 10d. During the day refreshments were provided in tho Hospital Board room in Marion Street for the tired patrols who invaded the office with their l>oxes after their spell of duty. These were dispensed by Misses Fox, Coyle, Gillespie, M'Manaway, and Mrs. Ellon. Tho board room was prettily decorated. Catering firms in the city also provided refreshments for thoso who desired to corno to their promises. The Chinese Association, tho members of which very highly appreciate tho care and attention bestowed upon thoso of their countrymen who are treated in tho hospital from time to time, lias collected over »CGO. The Nurses' Association, which organised a special effort at tho Hostel, in Willis Street, during tho week, raised X 35 by tho sale of articles and sweets at tho Nurses' Fair. The grand total of tho Saturday street ■collections is JC2OO 3s. lOd.; tho fancydress cricket match on the Basin Reserve resulted in a further total of X 24 9s. 9d., while the amounts already acknowledged, including his Excellency tho Governor's cheque for .£5 to tho Saturday campaign, total £75 9s. 3d. Hospital Sunday, Luckily for tho campaigners, tho. weather kept fair on Sunday (ill tho hospital demonstration at Newtown Park was just over. Then the gusty northerly sent a warning squall to disperse the ■ largo crowd w'hicli assembled at tho ; Park to hear tho bands. A happy idea in connection with tho demonstration was the spreading of a red cloth at_ tho Park gates to catch, tho passing coin. Plus this was a collecting staff consisting of a band of twenty hospital nurses, under Nurse H. Payne: two little girls, attir,ed as professional nurses—they collected between them over Xs—ami three members of the Wellington Navals. Altogether tho Sunday effort realised XGG 9s. Gjd., while an additional amount of XI 18s. was realised from tho Salvation Army band's performance in the hospital grounds. Tho music of tho bauds—tho Garrison Band, Tramways Band, Jitpp's Band, the Wellington Pipers, and St. Anna's Drum and Fife Band—was very much appreciated by tho visitors to the park. In tho evening, special charity picture shows wero given at tly> King's Theatro and tho Bijou Theatre. At tho former place of amusement over 1000 people wero present, and the collection realised Xl 5. Tho Bijou Theatro was also well patronised, between X 9 and XlO being collected. Approximate Result. There are still some returns to come in—lato boxes, hotel, and church collections—but the grand aggregate of receipts, so far, may be set down roughly as follow;— .C s. d. "Miss Gibbs" cricket match .. 24 9 9 Saturday street collections 200 3 10 Amounts acknowledged 75 9 3 Nurses' Association 0 0 Chinese Association 60 0 0 King's Theatre ]•> (J 0 Bijou Theatro JO 0 0 Park demonstration i GG 9 Gi Salvation Army Band 4 18 0 Total JMM 10 *1 The Organisers. This yea:, it is interesting to note, the whole campaign has been organised and run undo 1- tho auspices of the hospital authorities themselves. In previous paign-s the organisers wero tho local bandsmen. Tho first of thoso was organised in 1907, when .£220 was collected^ for tho institutions. Tho following ycflv tliat total was more than doubled, with X 470. 11l 1909 X 290 was raised. Then there came an interval during which no effort was organised, if one excepts tho great Children's Hospital campaign when Hugh Ward's Comely Company bulked largely in tho public eye. The organising staff this year was led bv Mr. J. Coyie, secret try of the Hospital Boaid, who was assisted by Messrs, Robinson Brown, Churches, and Miss Cox, of the board's headquarters staff, and Dr. Hardwiclc Smith (modicul superintendent), and Meters. Fox (house steward) and Watson (dispenser). Needless to say, tho clerical work, added (o tho ordinary duties, involved overtime and nracli burning of lato candles, but tho results have more than compensated these willing workors for their voluntary labours.