HOSPITAL AND BELGIAN SATURDAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3168, 2 December 1914, Page 59

HOSPITAL AND BELGIAN SATURDAY.

ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS BROKEN. ESTIMATED RESULT, £I7OO. Hospital Saturday, 1914, has easily eclipsed all previous efforts of the association. The introduction of decorated stands and providing attractions in the town created quite a holiday feeling in the air, and was the means of attracting hundreds of people into the town during the day. At an early hour in the morning numbers of officials of the association were at work seeing that everything was being arranged in connection with the stands, and shortly after the lady collectors appeared on the scene to catch the early wayfarer. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the large army of collectors, who worked assiduously until a late hour in the evening. The stands added quite a gay appearance to the city, and a citizen remarked to the secretary that it reminded him of some of the towns on the Continent that are now being devastated by the Germans. A few showers of rain fell in the morning but in the afternoon and evening the weather was fine. The citizens turned out in large numbers, and the streets, in the evening especially, were very busy. The presence of the school fife and drum bands was very welcome. The boys wore untiring, and it may be a s' ght recompense to them to know that the public wore delighted with their music. The town was full of nuraerovis attractions all day and in the evening. Several articles were auctioned, including floral baskets and. a poodle, which was purchased by a Chinaman for £3 10s. The Dunedin Orphans’ Club also lent valuable assistance throughout the day, requisitioning two lorries. These contained orchestras, singers, and a well-made-up monkey, and they kept their concerts going till late on in the evening, “ Tipperary ” being a favourite item. Their indefatigable D efforts resulted in the sum of £36 13s Id being secured for the fund. The costumes of the Orphans’ were very grotesque, and caused great amusement. Miss Martin’s (Mornington) Juvenile Pierrot Party also gave entertainments on a lorry all over town, which were greatly appreciated, and the sum of £6 10s lid was realised by their efforts. They also paid a visit to the Hospital, and gave several items in the children’s ward, greatly pleasing the little children laid aside by sickness. The ladies of the Overseas Club gave several excellent entertainments. A 2 p.m. the Arthur Street, Forbury, and Moral Place School Bands mustered at the Octagon, together with the Bov Semite, and marched to the Triangle, where the Misses Jean Riddle, Lily Stevens, Neta Frame, and Emily Wilson (pupils of the Forburv School) danced Highland flings, a sword dance, and Scottish reels most efficiently. This was followed by a maypole dance by pupils of the Forbury School, under the direction of Miss J. D. Hooper. The maypole dance was exceedingly well executed, the Forbury Fife and Drum Band, under the direction of Mr Borthwick, providing the music for this dance. Piper Morrison supplying the pipe music for the other dances. The programme also included several items by the Forbury (School Band, and one pupil sang “Tipperary” in a very creditable manner. The sum of £lO 9s Id was raised by this entertainment. The Dunedin West-Central Battalion Band paraded through the town, collecting en route, and secured £1 18s 7d. The Mornington Scout Band also paraded through the town, and collected £6 13s 9,k1. Two hundred Boy Scouts took part in this procession. Two Boy Scouts secured the sum of 7s 6d

by acting as bootblacks. The Boy Scouts also assisted at the stands in various ways, and their assistance was much appreciated. A young enthusiast named J. Spiers, Kaikqrai, secured 11s 3d by music supplied with a mouth organ. Mr Roderick MTCenzie lent a trap and pony tandem, which were decorated by the ladies at tho Early Settlers’ Hall. This turnout, with a piper in the trap, proved a great attraction. Other attractions were a miniature ambulance, drawn by a black retriever, tho property of Master Willie M‘Curdie; another ambulance, drawn by a spaniel, headed by Masters Newell and Alfred Armstrong, attired as hospital orderlies, and Miss Irena Armstrong, attired as an army hospital nurse. All had collection boxes. A model aeroplane, constructed by Mr Northey, in which was seated Miss Tui Northey as the aviator, caused a lot of interest. The sum of £5 Os 8d was collected by Miss Northey. The ladies had all manner of articles for sale, including flowers, vegetables, sweets, plants and cut flowers, ribbon, ico creams, pictures, etc. Tlie city by no means monopolised the good workers in the worthy objects of the day. Roslyn, organised by Mr R. S. Monzies, a member of ihe committee, collected £3l 5s od. At Mornington (organised by the Revs. W. Scorgie, F. Oldrieve, W. ■Greenslade, J, Small) the sum of £l4 4s was collected. Mention must bo made of the St. Clair residents, who gave an excellent concert from the esplanade steps, and presented an excellent tableaux under Mr V. Fisher, representing Britain and her dependencies, not forgetting Samoa. A choir of boys, trained by Mr V. Fisher, sang patriotic songs in a very creditable naanner. The large crowd round the Pavilion responded most generously. Later a procession of five motor cars, containing the members of the tableaux party, motored through the city, singing en route, and a good response resulted from their appeal. Excellent work was also done in the Anderson Bay, St. Kilda, South Dunedin, Cavershain, Woodhaugh, North-East Valley, and Maori Hill districts. The Musselburgh School Band assisted the (South Dunedin workers by giving a concert in Bathgate Park. The Albany Street School Fife and Drum Band lent valuable assistance by performing in the town during the day, and collected the sum of £l4 5s 6d, while excellent services were also rendered by the Maori Hill School Band. PRESENTATION TO MISS CARRIE MOORE. On Saturday evening during the performance at the Princess Theatre, Mr G. C. Israel (president of the association), Misses Stewart and Burt, and Mrs Theomin, officials of the association, nurses, and a Boy Scout, carrying a beautiful basket of roses, were ushered on to the stage by Mr Crome, the manager. Mr Israel stated that tho reason of their visit was to express to Miss Came Moore and the members of the company the appreciation of tho association of their efforts in connection with tho Hospital Saturday collection. Ho asked Miss Moore to accept, on behalf of the women of Otago, a basket of roses in recognition of her kind assistance. Miss Moore, in a neat speech, thanked the president for tho present, and stated she was only too pleased _ to have been able to assist the worthy object. THE PASSING SHOW. It was a very happy crowd in the streets on Saturday, and the ladies, one and all, Speak in highest praise of the courtesy extended to them throughout the day. When they got refusals, the ladies state they were always given in a nice manner. This is exceedingly gratifying to tho officials of the association, as the ladies are voluntarily giving their efforts to assist tho worthy object, and it hurts to receive rudeness. But Dunedin was out to assist the worthy object, and gave the collectors every encouragement on Saturday. It was very gratifying to the association to receive such numerous offers of assistance, and one and all worked exceedingly hard. Tho result has been that all previous records been broken. Many amusing and pleasing incidents were witnessed during the day. The gemial Scotchman in the Orphans party was a host in himself, and the way he cajoled money out of his friends stamped him as a past master of the art. Another member, cleverly got up as the well-known “Monkey Brand,” advertisement, did excellent work , in fact, the Orphans, one and all, worked splendidly, as also did the ladies of the Overseas Club, who, after finishing collecting on their stand for the day, gave performances from a lorrie until a late hour. “ A guinea for a kiss.” That was the price asked by Mr Walters —the energetic auctioneer and advance agent, as it were, who accompanied the Carrie Moore party—for a kiss from the well-known actress. The party was conveyed along Princes street in a big motor lorry, starting just before noon, and as a result of less than two hours’ vigorous canvassing £3O was obtained. Miss Moore sang “ It’s a long way to the front, boys,” and “ Down the Mississippi,” being accompanied by a small orchestra, whenever the lorry came to a stop; the boxes were vigorously shaken and handed round, what time Mr Walters encouraged the slow payers to pass along their coins and commended tho cheerful givers, and a lot of interest was aroused in the number of times a bowl of pelargoniums was “put up” and “knocked down,” a considerable sum being obtained from these sales. Now and again showers of coin were thrown into the lorry, and its occupants had a busy time getting out of the way of the metal battery. How much was taken for kisses? Only six guineas! No one who saw how the six were cheered by the large crowd of onlookers as they stepped forward to receive their rewards could honestly lay a charge of lack of gallantry against Dunedin men; neither could one assert that a guinea was grudged for tho coveted reward—though it is on record that one exhilarated young man had the temerity to call out: “Make it ten bob!’ The simple truth is that, with the exception of the six—who for their gallantry shall, ungrateful though it may seem, _ escape individual honourable mention, married men though some of them bo—none wore brave enough to run the gauntlet of tho anticipatory humorous smiles of those assembled and the hearty cheers which followed on tne delivery of the imprint. We are a Scotch community. A prominent member of the association has the laugh over those who paid a guinea for a kiss. Ho got one free, fratis, and for nothing on the stage of the ’rincess Theatre in tho evening, to tho huge delight of all those present. DETAILS. Manor place (St. Andrew’s Church; Miss

Jessio Cairns and assistants). —£40 17s 3id (last year, £33 4s 3d). Empire Buildings (Mrs Capstick and assistants). —£21 18s 2d (new stand). Jacobs’s Corner (Karitane Hospital i Mn F. H. Carr and assistants). —£59 6s Sjcl (£63 Os Bid). Convalescent Fund (Mrs Johnston Brown and assistants). —£43 15s llgd (£39 13s 2d). Stock Exchange (St. John Ambulance; Miss J. D. Hooper).—£s3 4s 7Ad (£2O 12s). Grand Hotel (Overseas Club; Miss Sinclair and assistants).—£l42 14s 2d, including £4O 15s 8d collected at show grounds (£29 15s). Government Life Insurance (Catholio stand; Mesdames J. B. Callan, jun.. Jackson, and Herbert, and assistants). —£128 7a 7d (£4B 2s). Bank of New Zealand (Misses James and Stephenson and assistants). —£31 2s sjd (£IS 5s 6d). Braithwaite’s (Mrs J. C. M'Gcorge and assistants). —£43 6s (£l2 16s 9jd). City Hotel (First Church; Mrs Peter Dick and Sister Mabel and assistants). —£26 8s 6id (£2B 3a 6d). Hallenstein Bros.’ Corner (Trinity Church; Miss Ackroyd and assistants). —£36 17s 5d (£lO 9s 6d). Townsend’s Corner (Otago Ladies’ Club; Mrs H. Lindo Ferguson and assistants). — £46 14s 7d (£8 17s 9d). Railway Station (St. Matthew’s Church; Mrs H. Courier and assistants). —£19 6a sid (£l7 3s). Sprosen’s Corner (Dunedin Hospital nurses; Miss Mvles and assistants), —£53 4s 4id (£35 5s 3d).' Moray Place Post Office (Misses Geerin and Rattray and assistants). —£29 12s lOd (£lO 5s 6d). Neill’s Corner (Y.W.C.A.; Miss A. E. Seaman, Miss Little, and assistants). —£17 8f IOAd (new stand). City Boot Palace (All Saints’ Church t Sister Elizabeth and assistants). —£57 8s lia (£5 9s). Mollison’s (St. Helens Hospital; Miss A. H. Holford and assistants). —£38 9s lOd (£.'7 5s 4d). Knox Church (Knox Church; Sister Jea and assistants). —£54 15s lid (£23 13s 2d). Octagon Sheets. —£6 (£2 2s 6d). SUBURBAN DISTRICTS. South Dunedin.—Macandrew Road Store (Sister Agnes), £lO 5s 7d; Betting’s Corner (Mrs J. Douglas), £5 7s 4d; D.S.A. Corner (Mrs Donovan), £3 7s 9J,d; Cargill’s Corner (Mrs Morrison), £4 12s 4d; Helena street (Mrs T. B. Leyland), £3 0s lOd. N.E. Yalley (Mrs Blackman).—£s 18s Bd. Caversham.—Tram Terminus: (Mrs T. K. Sidey and assistants. David l Street: Mrs Rutherford and assistants. Glen Road: Mrs Todd and assistants. Forbury Corner: Miss Mackersey and assistants). —£30 15s sgd. Wakari, 1. eith Valley, Woodhaugh, and Duke Street. —Mrs Clarke (Mayoress) and assistants).—£9 7s Bd. Mornington.—(Organisers : Revs. Scorgie, Oldrieve, Small, and Greenslade). —£14 4s. St. Kilda.—(Under the supervision of the Mayor, Mr W. T. M‘Farlane).--£l3 14s sd. Maori Hill. — (Organisers: Mr J. Fitzgerald and Miss Brown. Collectors: Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Standard pupils of the Maori Hill School). —£11 16s 3d. St. Leonard’s and Burkes.—(Master D. Millar and Mr G. D. Fisher). —£4 9s. St. Clair. —(Mrs Beadlo and assistants).— £25 17s. Broad Bay.—(Miss Gray and assistants). — £22 0s 6d; also 4s specially marked for Belgian Fund. Ravensbourne (per Mrs Hicks). —£214 s. Anderson Bav (per Mr Nelson, town clerk).—£27 Is 3d. Roslyn (Organisers, Mr and Mrs R. Mcnzies). —£31 5s 6d. Port Chalmers (Organiser, Mr A. Leek).— £36 3s 9d. Highcliff.—£l 14s 6d. The executive acknowledges the receipt o( Messrs Penrose and Co.’s cheque for £ls 12s 6cl. being half of the gross proceeds of the sale of 500 Red Cross towels. RETURNS NOT COMPLETED. A large number of country returns, school lists, hotel boxes, etc., have yet to como in. £2 6s ssd; Portobcllo, £2 13s 6cl; Waitati, 4s 3d; Port Molyneux, ss; St. Hilda’s, £2; St. Clair, £1 9s 6d; Palmerston, 12s; Brighton, Is lid; Middlemarch, ss; Kensington, £1 13s lOd; Girls’ High School, £1 Is 3d; St. Andrew’s College, £1 16s 2d: Saddle Hill, 8s 6d; Shag Point, 10s; Barewocd, ss. A large number- of lists have yet to como in from schools. Brighton, £3 12s 2d. PREVIOUS COLLECTIONS. 1905 £ 7K! 1906 848 1907 720 1908 1194 1909 1105 1910 1911 1023 1912 944 1914* (February) 875 1914 (November), estimated ... 1700 * The collection- was postponed from November, 1915, until February, 1914, on account of the strike. AT PORT CHALMERS. OYER £36 COLLECTED. The greatest enthusiasm also prevailed at Port Chalmers, and the collectors, who worked most energetically, had the satisfaction of seeing their efforts generously rewarded. As early a s 7 o’clock in the morning the ladies were abroad,_ and until 8 o’clock in the evening their small, but übiquitous, boxes were rattled in the faces of the passers-by, who were unable to resist the appeal, sometimes mute and sometimes voiced. The shipping in port also contributed liberally, and, as a result of the splendid work of the ladies and the secretary (Mr A. Lock), the sum of £36 5s 4d was collected. This sum was £7 4s 3d in excess of the last year’s total, and must be regarded as very satisfactory considering the number of calls that have already been made upon the people of Port Chalmers. A collection was also taken up in Deborah Bay.' Mihiwaka, • Hayward's Point, and Purakanui, but the returns from these places, which have not yet come to hand, should considerably swell the total when they are received.