CHILDREN'S WARD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13337, 1 February 1909, Page 7

CHILDREN'S WARD.

SATURDAY'S STREET COLLECTION.

£215 RAISED

The -week's special effort in connection with raising funds for the children's -ward at the Christchurch Hospital was inaugurated most auspiciously on Saturday by a canvass of tho city. Quite an array of attractive young ladies invaded tho chief thoroughfares at an early hour in the morning, and wheedled endless small change from tho possession of busy citizens. The canvass was most thoroughly organised and carried out, and very few peoplo in the city were overlooked. Isot even passengers by the various trains leaving the Christchurch railway station were exempt from taxation, and cheerful givers wen.* found to be in a large majority. Tho E>t. John, Ambulance rooms were kindly placed at tho disposal of the committee, and formed a most, excellent centro to work from. Tho thanks of the committeo are due to Mr J. Trcleaven, who offered his services, and to Miss Staveley, who was kept extremely busy throughout, the d:iy, and to Mr Molincaux, manaj gef of the lienk ot New South Wales, who supervised the counting of the money as the boxes were brought in from tlio collectors. The motor car U>nc by Adams Ltd. was of great utility in collecting the boxes from tho different stations. The success of the undertaking was, of course, largely due to the energy of tho committeo of ladies, headed by Mrs Talbot, which had been appointed to carry out tho street collection. In addition to- tho ordinary collecting boxes in the hands of ladies with roving commissions, receptacles presided over by other ladies were placed ofc tho various street corners, and these formed the bases of operations. In the Cathedral ground a hvrge tarpaulin was epread beneath a tent, and this proved the fruitful means of securing funds toward the cause. In all, there weroeleven tables, these being in tho care of the following : Cook and Ross's corner, Mesdames Talbot, Meares and Cobham and Miss B'oster; Broadway's, Mrs Irving and Miss Moorhous©; Tram shelter, Mesdames Stringer and F. Graham: " Tarpaulin Muster, " _ Cathedral grounds, Mrs J. H. Fountain; Tattersails, Mrs P. Pratt; Strango's corner, Mrs Sandstein; MoClea's corner, Miss Oraddock ; Blue Boot Shop, Mrs Croxton; Railway_Station, Mrs Stevenson; D.I.C, Mrs Oswald; Brice's corner, Mrs Lfoui&son; A.M.P. corner, Mrs It. M. Anderson. Tho collectors worked in three shifts, and at 5.30 they were relieved by members of the Christchurch Bearer Corps. Numerous Hospital nurses off duty lent valuable assistance. The total amount secured by the lady collectors and the nurses was £200 odd, and by the members of the Bearer Corps £14 odd. A pleasing feature of the day's undertaking -was the willingness with which the publio responded to the appeal made. One noteworthy incident took place in front of the "tarpaulin muster" tent in Cathedral square. A man with two clever little dogs appeared on the Boene, end the tricks and antics of the animals soon resulted in a largo crowd congregating. The money bestowed; in appreciation of the performances of tho dogs was transferred by their owner to the "tarpaulin muster."