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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2135, 6 November 1875, Page 2

(To the Eiifor of th« Evening Siar.)

Sib,—'l he in formation sought by your yesterday's corespondent (Inquirer) whether the benefit of the Hospital Demonstration on Boxing Day is to bo restricted to the takings at gates is of great importance to the general public, and one in which the fullest information should be given, for if the benefit of tho demonstration is to be, as stated, restricted to the receipts at the gates it will be of a doubtful character to the funds of the institution. It must be assumed that the demonstration committee will bear the whole expenses of the day, and in this respect the liberal proprietor of the gardens will go scot free. I think that without any stretch of imagination it may be fairly reckoned that each adult who patronises the demonstration will spend on an average two shillings and sixpenceout of this amount the, committee will get sixpence for entrance fee at the gates —from which sum they will have to provide funds for the prizes, and pay the general expenses of the day, which will reduce the amount to about a fourpence per head, while the liberal proprietor of the gardens will have ihe whole of the profits on the expenditure of the other two shillings per head. lam sure if this is to bo the outcome of the demonstration that every man and woman in the place would willingly give the amount and have no fuss about it.

I am sure that everyone will give the joint committee of the Benefit Societies credit for tho best intentions in getting up the Demonstration, and believe that their only aim is to confer a great good on our noble institution, yet I think the wisdom of their arrangements about the gardens (so called) may with the greatest propriety be called in question. If we are to have a Hospital Demonstration, a.'day.'set apart for the special object, let it be understood that every sixpence that is taken for theday, from every source, whether at the gates or inside, will be devoted (after payinp expenses) to the one object. Pay the proprietor of the gardens for the use of them, and if sufficiently liberal terms cannot be made, make arrangements for some other grass paddock. The public is not nice in these matters so long as they know that the money they are spending for the day will go to relieve the sufferings of their more unfortunate fellow-men, and that the lion's share will not go into the pockets of one or more individuals. It is to be hoped that the arrangement* about the gardens are not completed on the basis supposed by your yesterday's correspondent, and that the public will. shortly be informed of the whole of the arrangements, tkat they may be able to enter fully into the spirit of the day, and assist the committee to make ifc a great financial success for the benefit of our local Hospital.—l am, &c, Anothee Inquiker.