FOR THE HOSPITAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 68, 13 November 1912, Page 5

FOR THE HOSPITAL.

COMMITTEE TO ORGANISE COLLECTIONS FORMED.

Seven ladies, three men, and a baby attended the meeting convened by the Chairman of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for the purpose of considering a scheme to augment the funds of the Hospital, and held yesterday afternoon in the Borough Council Chambers. Several ladies apologised for absence and promised assistance, but still it is fairly apparent that apathy flourishes in our midst, and that only energetic work by the nucleus of a committee formed will prevent the collection from being what it was on the previous occasion—a comparative failure. The Chairman of the Board (Mr. E. Marfell) presided, and with him was Mr. Sidney Ward, a member of the Board, while*Mr. J. McAllister, another town member, apologised for unavoidable absence. The Why and Wherefore.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman referred to the very heavy expenditure that had been incurred during the present financial year, the increase being chiefly due to the extra number of patients and the new works being undertaken. To assist the funds of tiie Board, it was suggested to hold on Christmas Eve collections in the streets, after the manner of a Hospital Saturday, and he purposed that afternoon forming a committee to get the scheme going. It was now considerably over a year since the public were asked to contribute, and the response then was not very encouraging, seeming to show that public sympathy with the Hospital was on the decrease. In June, 1911, the Hospital Saturday realised £32, in 1910 £ll3 was received, and in the year previous to that just about the same amount was collected. Steadily in those three years, they had gone back, though the reason might be found in imperfections in the collecting. This year if the organisation was at all satisfactory, and the enthusiasm was there, £3OO or £4OO should be collected. Mr. Marfell continued that there were eight thousand inhabitants of the Stratford district, and, properly done, the collection should accomplish this amount. In this Connection, he reminded those present that all sums raised carried a Government subsidy of 24s in the £. Tile money paid by tho ratepayers, in the ordinary course, carried a much smaller subsidy, averaging about £ for £, so that it was really cheaper for the ratepayer to contribute to the Hospital funds through the collection boxes. Referring again to the expenditure, the Chairman said that the Board had been put to considerable expense over the isolation ward, and it required £l7O to furnish it. That was one of the things to which this money collected would be devoted. There was also a pretty big debt on the Hospital. Though ho had been a. member of the Board for some years, ho thought it did not reflect much credit on the Board that there should still be a debt on the building ,of some £3OOO. In the last two years £4OO bad been paid off, and there was a resolution in the minutes now that £3OO should be paid off this year, but there was no money with which to do it.

Madame Barnard’s Generosity. Mr. Sidney Ward announced that he had been requested to state that Madame Bernard would again place her popular Picture Theatre at the disposal of the Board. The proprietress of His Majesty’s Theatre intended'giving a, free matinee performance, when the full programme would bo screened, and the orchestra would be in attendance. A collection could be taken up at the door, and the matinee would bo held on the same afternoon as that on which the general collection was .This generous offer was accepted by the Chairman with alacrity. He expressed, on behalf of the Board, the debt of gratitude, they owed to Madame Bernard for the practical sympathv she had for the Hospital cause. The offer was all the more generous, when it was understood that Madame Bernard was giving up to charity an afternoon which might be utilised very profitably to herself. Mr. Will Diamond briefly acknowledged a vote of thanks passed, and the sentiments expressed. Madame Bernard was always only too willing to help in a good cause.

A Committee Formed. The Chairman then moved that a collection be taken up on Christmas Eve, and that those ladies present, and certain ladies who had written expressing sympathy with the movement, be constituted a committee,, with power to add to their number. Mrs. T. C. Fookes seconded the motion. . _ r ’ Speaking to the motion, Mr. Sidney Ward made several suggestions, upon which the committee will probably act. One was to the effect that buttonholes should be sold, it being a time of the year when flowers wore abundant, and in this connection he urged that the Horticultural Society, jvhich numbered among its members many ladies and gentlemen in sympathy with the movement, should be_ asked to co-opeiate. Another suggestion was that previous to Christmas Eve the workers bn the Stratford-Te Koura line should be asked to contribute, the departing and incoming Toko train being a convenient scene for this collection.

In the Country. The Chairman remarked that he would give his time to organising a canvass in tho country. He thought that a house-to-house visitation might be made, there, and a good sum collected. The motion to form a committee was carried, and Mr. Ward was appointed 'convenor of committee meetings, and practical adviser generally. The first committee meeting will held on Tuesday next in the Borough Council Chambers at 3 o’clock, and af the number of ladies on the committee is practically unlimited, all sympathisers will he made welcome.