EGGS FOR HOSPITALS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 61, 26 October 1911, Page 7

EGGS FOR HOSPITALS.

Melbourne and Warrnambool are associated just now in a contest which, strangely enough, has nothing to do with cycling, and appears to be exciting even greater interest than the important road race does. The authorities at many of the hospitals in Victoria recently conceived the idea of appealing to the public for gifts of eggs, which are a costly item in the house keeping accounts of the institutions. The Warrnambool hospital challenged tnc large Melbourne hospital to a contest in the collection of 10,000 eggs, and the challenge was at or.ee taken up. The larger centre 1 was handicapped, since the “egg movement” nad become in Warrnambool before it was lirst mentioned in Melbourne. The coirieptition was begun a fortnight ago, Warrnambool making its collection on Wednesday, and Melbourne on the following day, and tiie nature of Melbourne’s handicap was soon apparent. The population of the southern town and its neighbourhood entered into the contest with great enthusiasm, and on Wednesday night there were 5790 eggs in the larder of the Warrnambool hospital. Next day Melbourne made its appeal, and received 2040 eggs. The conditions of the coin petition provide for weekly collections, and Warrnambool made its second effort last week. Again the poultry of the district and tneir owners responded nobly, 5400 eggs,being taken to the hospital during the day. The total for two weeks was 11,250 ; but Melbourne did not despair. The suburban eggproducers made made a much more satisfactory effort than they had done a week before, and at the end of the day some very tired hospital attendants completed the task of counting and storing 5400'feggs. Warrnambool won handsomely, but ingenuously suggested at once that the competition j should be continued indefinitely. TinMelbourne authorities were eoualiy willing to go on with so profitable a competition, and the appeals presumably will bo made once a week as long as there are eggs to lie obtained. The movement has extended throughout Victoria, and almost every hospital in the State is receiving largo supplies of eggs. / In some localities the school children have undertaken the collections, and they are enjoying a T little ’coldestTbf 'tircif own: Such competitions certainly deserve encouragement.