HOSPITAL SUNDAY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 25

HOSPITAL SUNDAY.

Tbe first properly-organised public subscription in aid of the Hospital and charitable aid fnnd of this district took place on Sanday, under the direction of the Committee appointed at a public meeting for the purpose some two or three months ago, but more directly under the supervision of Mr F. H. Fraser, Chairman of the Hospital Trustees, who has worked hard in the matter, and Captaiu Loveday, the hoD. secretary. It was hoped that collections would be made toward the object in all the churches on the one day, but on inquiry this was found to be impracticable owing to arrangements for special offertories having been made some time previously by various denominations, and for other reasons. However, with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church, most of the larger congregations were able to meet the wishes of the Aid Committee, and the results, as shown below, must be deemed satisfactory considering the difficulties which stood in the way. When the collections are taken up in the various churches in the diocese of Bishop Redwood, and the returns are sent in from many of the Bmal'er bodies, the sum total will doubtless reach a highly respectable figure. The collection at the Jewish Synagogue took place on Saturday, and considering the numerical weakness of that body, the result by cimparison is very creditable. Returns have yet to come in from the following bodies :—Roman Catholic, Congregation, Baptist, Plymouth Brethren (two places of worship), Primitive Methodist (three), United Free Methodist, Particular Baptist, Apostolic Church, Salvation Army, Spiritualists’ and t reethought Associations, besides several suburban places of worship. In some instances tbe collections will take place next Sunday. It is hoped that next year the collections will be general on the one day appointed, and that the various congregations will be better prepared to make the effort required of them. The weather was rather unfavorable to a large attendance at any of the churches, particularly in the evening ; while the damp southerly weather in the afternoon greatly marred what would have proved very successful results at the Basin Reserve, where the Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Cimino, kindly gave a well-selected and enj >yable programme iu aid of the funds. As it wa->, some 2000 persons visited the ground, and placed in the boxes at the four gates coins ranging from the mods at halfpenny to the imposing half-crown, tbe total voluntarily subscribed being £26 10s 2Jd. The following gentlemen formed the Special Committee at the Reserve, and with the Band are entitled to credit for their gratuitous services :—Sergeant-Major Daviß Petty Officer Armstrong (hon secretary), Color Sergeaut Carver, Sergeants Robinson, Jenson, Boyd, Avery, Murray, Madeley, Corporals Burnett and Hutchens, and Mr Crisp. A □umber of the Permanent Artillery were on the ground in their new uniforms and forage caps, and excited favorable comment by their smart appearance, the forage caps giving them a particularly jaunty air. It is understood that the Garrison Band intend making another effort on behalf of the fund in about a month’s time, in consequence of tbe unfavorable weather militating against a large attendance of the public on Sunday. The following is a list of the amounts received on Sanday on behalf of the fnnd, so far as could be ascertained :

At St. Paul’s Cathedral the average amount of the offertories was deducted, leaving tbe sum of £SO available. The sum of £l9 10s 7d was the gross amount token at St. Andrew’s Church, and it has yet to be decided by the Church Committee whether a sum equal to the usual offertory shall be deducted.

The following additional sums have been received by Mir F. H. Fraser on behalf of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Fund :—Wellington Spiritualists’ Association, £6 ; Wesley Church, Adelaide-road, 19s ; subscribed by seamen of the s.s. Kiwi, £1 Is, We also learn that an effort made by the members of the Wellington Freethought Association is expected to result in some £ls being handed over to the treasurer of the fund.

£ s. d. St. John’s Church 56 16 3 St. Paul's Church 50 0 0 Jewish Synagogue 33 19 0 St. Peter’s Church 31 10 0 .Basin Reserve 26 10 Wesley Church, Taranald-street 22 13 0 „ “ ,, Molesworth ,, 2 9 a o St. Andrew's Church ... 19 10 7 Church of Christ, Dixon-street 13 17 10 St. Mark’s Church 11 14 4 Total 267 10 2±