THE CRY OF THE BELGIANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16741, 8 July 1916, Page 3

THE CRY OF THE BELGIANS

STREET COLLECTION AND ART UNION. £725 RAISED. Tho cry of tho Belgian children, reacli- / ing—as it does, in oJi its intensity—even to these far-off shores, acted us an "open Sesame" upon tho packets of the public yesterday, and ensured a highly gratifying response to tlio efforts of the Hospital Saturday Association, which carried out a street collection that- has long been projected 011 behalf of tliis object. • An appeal on behalf of children must of necessity bo infinitely touching, and be fraught with an insistence not to bo denied. There were not many in Dunedin yesterday who could find it in their hearts to deny it, especially when it was reinforced by a largo body of fair collectors, who m-ado it their business to see that tho request for contributions was put before all who wero abroad, in the tangible -form of tho familiar wooden box. In addition to providing help for tho children, the street collection had tho collateral object of assisting the Belgian Doctors' and Pliarmaeists' Fund, this, also, being a catiso that merited tho warm and generous recognition with which it met. Far removed - as we in New Zealand arc from the actual .horrors of war, it is but just that wo should rceogniso that theso horrors aro painted in very striking colours for the peopio of Belgium; and, when au opportunity liko that of yesterday presents itself, to do our utmost to relieve them in some measuro. . Armed with their boxes, tho ladies, to the number of 'about 400, made an early start In addition to straight-out collecting, they also offered for sale Belgian buttons at' Is cach, and tickets in a valuable art union, tho painting connectcd with which are on view in tho window of tho Bristol "Piano Company, and which will bo drawn on Monday evening. Sixteen stalls wero erected 1 at various points of vantage, and all tho main streets wero thoroughly well canvassed, tho collection being* confined to tho city alone. Business' was good throughout tho day, and so energetic did one of the ladies stationed at Jacobs's oorner prove that, when her box was opened, it disclosed the splendid total of £6 19s 6d for a morning's work. Fortified by the worthiness of their cause, the eollcctors kept up their tireless appeal until 8 o'clock in tho evening, investing tho last few hours of their task with groat activity, and taking a heavy toll from tho largo crowds that thronged the streets. During thoso remaining hours money was generously given, and this must have proved the most profitable period of the day. It may be noted that Mr J. C. Marshall donated £10 outright to tho collection, and Leslie Wood, of the Wakari School, collccted £4 4s by his own efforts. The task of counting tho collection was, as usuaj, undertaken by Mr R. Martin and i tho staff of the National Bank, and on the completion of their labours it was found that tho day's efforts had resulted in tho raising of tho fino total of £725. The following is a list of tho stalls: — Post Office, Miss Rattray (Red Cross); Jacobs's corner. Miss Stewart (Women's Association); Stock Exchange, Miss Hooper (Nurses' Division, St. John Ambulance); Grand Hotel, Miss M. Sinclair; Government Life Insurance—Mcsdames Callan and Jackson (Catholic); Bank of New Zealand— Mesdames Riley and Marshall (Women's Branch National Reserve)! Stark's corner. Miss Duff (Burns Club) ; City Hotel corner, Mrs Martin (Overseas Club); Hallenstein's corner, Miss Ackrovd; Octagon, Miss K. Geerin; Railway Station, Mrs Crolly; Sprosen's corner, Women's Patriotic Association; Mollison's corner, Miss Martin; Roberts's store. Gardens. Mrs P. J. Blackman and Miss Keys; Cargill corner, Mrs Morrison; Cargill road, Mrs Donovan.