EXPERIENCES OF A COLLECTOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 160, 12 August 1914, Page 6

EXPERIENCES OF A COLLECTOR.

To tli® Editor of THE ; SXJN. ' Sir,—lt might be interesting to some of your readers to tfear-the experiences of one who was engaged In collecting for "The War Fund" and selling badges on Saturday last. Many—indeed, the great majority—gave willingly, and expressed-their entire sympathy with the movement. My first rebuff was in King' Edward Barracks itself, when, on offering a badge to a young man, .-I was greeted. with the reply, "I should be ashamed to wear it." This in the Barracks, when the Ist Canterbury Regiment was mustered to select those who were to form part of the Expeditionary Force to leave the Dominion. Later, in the Square, I asked a well-dressed lady to contribute, but she said she had not got her purse. 1 then asked a gentleman of the party, seeing they were together, but was not prepared for his answer, whieh was "After the' races; after the races." Yet another well-dressed gentleman, when appealed; to to help to: provide shirts and necessaries for those who were about to leave our shores for service abroad, said that, so far as he was concerned, he did not mind if they wentwithout shirts; while another gentleman who droye up in a handsome motor to a leading hotel said "Oh, I have no change." J I will now record some of those belonging to the wealthier class, who certainly, to my mind, showed they were built of the stuff which lias made and maintained this mighty Empire. First was a man who had evidently arrived from the country, as his appearance was that of a man who had been travelling; his 'browned complexion also gave rise to the impression that he came from the country. When asked to buy a badge he at 'olice put his hand in'his pocket, and produced several silver . coins, which he handed over with the remark that he was sorry he had not gold, but he had arrived in Christchurch too late to go. to the, bank. Then came a lady, who said she did not know that there was to be any collecting for the war fund, and had come with only sufficient money, viz., sixpence, with which to pay her tram fare, and that of hexchild, but she said, handing iue the sixpence, "I am glad to give what I have; my child and self can walk." Perhaps the most, telling of all the incidents which happened to me was that of a little fellow selling papers, who volunteered to give a brownie, and was just about to hand in his "brownie" when he said, "No, blowed if I will, I'll give a bob; it 's for si good cause," and forthwith handed in his shilling. I was so pleased with his manner that I asked him if he would like to feel the weight of the money 1 had collected, at which he was overjoyed and ran a few yards with it and then brought it back, saying "My word, if I got as much as that I should not want to sell THE SUN for a long time." The bay's mate at this time i aiiie up, and my young friend who had given the shilling said: " That's the boy whose mother sent him to-the hatchers for some meat, and they tried to soli him some sausages.;" "W-hjit did you say, Jack?" he continued, appealing to the boy. "I said 'Sausages—German? Not for me, replied the other.-—I am, etc., COLLECTOR.