AMBULANCE SATURDAY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12258, 5 July 1909, Page 5

AMBULANCE SATURDAY.

A SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENT-

OVER £220 COLLECTED

What a day Ambulance SaturdayJuly 3rd, 1909, was! It will long be remembered by every heroic woman collector! of the Wanganui Women's. Branch of the National Defence League. A more uninteresting, dreary raidwinter's day, with its cold, heavy downpour of rain, which set in at 10 o'clock in the morning and continued without, interruption till about 5 p.m., could not be imagined. Many hundreds of suburban and country residents were consequently prevented from coming tou town. The football ground, golf r . hockey, etc., all suffered; still.the LARGE ARMY OF WILLING WORKERS,

with their Red Cross -boxes and newbadges, obeyed the call. They volunteered for duty, and how nobly and" splendid they all carried it out, undermost trying and unpleasant circumstances, the general public know and the handsome result abundantly provesAt street corners, in and out of shops^. factories^ and offices, trams, cabs, or" trains, at home, in a remote spot in they suburbs, back streets, in hotel or clvb r . folk were invaded by

A RED CROSS BEARER. So keen and anxious were a number o£' the collectors that at 5.30 p.m., where all collecting boxes were take in, they:' wanted to be allowed to continue untiF 8.30 o'clock, but as this was not in orders, their kindly request could not be complied with. Many acts of kindness were experienced by those engaged collecting. A cup of tea, sandwichy. luncli, etc., were prof erred by citizens,, and some of those engaged in collecting in town were sent inviting cups of~ beef tea and other light refreshments by hotelkeepers and others. So many acts;' of kindness were experienced by thoseon duty that we are asked to gratefullyexpress the sincere tjianks of the committee to all who remembered the collectors in various ways.

Good-natured, full of fun, yet at times, serious when necessary, the Red Cross--box bearer extracted by all fair means--the many various coins of the realm from the citizens. A capital plan had* been thought off to secure at lensfc arshilling from a large percentage of the public—that of

GIVING A TAG to every person who dropped a shilling or more into a box. This tag also acted as a passport for the day. By midday- . more than half the town were wearing; the tag. Many instances.were observed? of as many as a dozen tages being won*: by one person. . , Perfect arrangements had been made* by the Committee for a thorough system of control and patrolling of town, and suburbs from^ Castlecliff to Upoko-— ngaro. No disturbance, or even theslightest act of unmanly conduct, s<v far as we • know, was observed or in~ dxilged in. This is as it should be. and speaks well for the discipline of our~ younger people when in public places'. : A fine practical demonstration in first;, aid was given during the afternoon andT evening in the window of Mr Wilton (chemist), where two Maori girls, who-- , had goe through the first aid course, demonstrated the various modes of bandaging, etc. (on a small boy) for all*. sorts of fractures —broken legs, arms, fingers, collar-bones, etc. Large crowdswere attracted to witness the display,, which certainly was splendid .carried outby the girls. Where everyone worked so hard ancF entered heartily in achieving success itwould be unfair to individualise speciaF services. Those engaged outside In such weather as prevailed last Saturday-,., and, moreover, who were actually responsible for so handsome a sum oF money being collected, desire the warmest thanks (everyone of them) of botlir branches of the National DefenceLeague. Miss Newcombe.-'tue: hardworking hon. secretary of the Women's; Brarich, who although she was not outside "jn ,the rain, is deserving of-special' praise for her splendid work for hights--and days before the eventful day ancE oh the. day itself. The thanks of th& v Committee'are due to Mr McPhail, ae— coutant of the Bank of New Zealand, for assistance in counting and lodging;; . the takings' within the walls of the Bank. Taken on the whole, from thevsplendid amount of money raised tlie-^ appointmeiit of a District Nurse shqukU be ea-siy-given effect to, and the various.', classes for" instruction in first aid ancF home, .nursing started within a week: The Executive Council of the Women s*~ 'BMnclf^neet at; the _Girls' College at. 4,30 p.m. to-day. . , I ■'Tlie" "following special donations were* I:handed in during, the day :—Miss Fras— ef £10 10s, Boys' College £4 17s 2d,. Cosmopolitali Club £3 3s, Miss Alexander £3.35, Dr. Earle £2 2s, Mr L_ Colien £2 2s, Mr H. B. Watson fil Is. subjoined are the total amounts, fromehalfpennies upwards. Halfpennies 151—0 6 7 ■■" Pennies .......1824— 7 12 1 3d pieces 1257—15 14 3" Sixpences .1200—30. 0 0* Shillings ..:.. .....1630—81 10 0 Florins 220—22 0 0"* Half-crowns .... 123-^l6 O (T Half sovereigns 5—2 10 0* Sovereigns ....... 5 —5 0. O Notes 19--19 0 O Cheques ...6^22 1 O

Total amount collected £221 13 11