STREEET COLLECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 132, 5 June 1915, Page 6

STREEET COLLECTIONS

UNAUTHORISED BOXES. "We have done all it is possible to do," said Mr H. G. Hill, president of the Carnival, to a Post roporter to-day. He had been asked what protection was being afforded tho public against unauthorised street collectors, and what assurance there was that the money so collected would reach tho funds intended by the givers ; and it was further pointed out that it appeared 'to be that anybody who chose to wear, some fancy dress or even no fancy dross could collect money for any of tho funds without accounting for the same, Mr. Hill admitted it. In fact he produced an officially sealed box which had been found by a Boy Scout, and returned to 'the office. It had been broken open ; the money (if any) thit it had contained was gone, and the bos ts ad, flung away. Tho police were enquiring into tho matter. "Wo havo over one thousand boxes out," said Mr. Hill, "and tho whole of them have tho official seal on them. They bear the Union Jack printed in blue." "Do you say thnt people should withhold money from other boxes.*' "I advise popple to put their money into tho officially sealed boxes only. We cannot provont people collecting in other boxes, but uo shall bo pleased to officially goal thdli for sucli collector's, but bettor still to provide the proper box. "What is required is a speciaJ Act of Parliament giving tho polico control of street collections. They have no authority in the matter at present. Of course, they are able to deal with cases of fraudulent collection and with theft, but I understand thnt they have no power to regulate collections, nor to prevent unauthorised collections. They certainly should have power to regulate this kind of thing, so that no collections could be taken Up by anyone except those authorised to do so by the police."

The name of Mr. G. Patcrson, Nelson, was inadvertently omitted from the list of Postal delegates attending the confejsnce. at