"HOSPITAL SUNDAY."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 666, 17 November 1909, Page 8

"HOSPITAL SUNDAY."

QUESTION OF A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. At yesterday's meeting, of the Wellington Hospital Trustees,, the chairman (the Hon. C. Mi' Luke) stated that so far no steps had been taken to organise a " Hospital. Sunday " this year. It was usually held in I December, but in View. of . the fact that/the St. John Ambulance 'Society had come into the field with aii Amlralaiice. Day about -the same time, he thought it would be advisable ;to postpone " Hospital Sunday" (which is taken to include previous Saturday)' until, some time in Janitaiy or February. The great number of. calls on the public in December also made rt doubtful whether December was,a fitting month-to make their appeal. There was also the matter of a children's hospital td:be considered, on which subject he had already interviewed , the 1 : Mayor. . He recognised the necessity. for-, sach ani institution, as! did also the members tof the medical faculty. -In! his conference,,-with: the ..Mayor, that gentleman had expressed the opinion that to make the effort, just now would be inopportune. -It would be better, Mr. Luke, thought, to postpone the appeal until • February, when probably. the Mayoress. would bo prevailed 1 upon to form a 'ladies.' committee, and -the medjcal fraternity—who< saw' the - necessity. for a children's hospital .better than - any' of them— would assift. , ' Mr. Geo. , ndon said that he could imagine ffcat some confusion might arise in the public uirad over the number. of appeals that were being made. . Surely the representatives of the hospital and, St. John Ambulirp.ee would come to some understanding in the matter. He would certainly like to see one .great effort made to raise, contributions, ' instead of ' allowing' other organisations to get in' ahead. : Subsequently Mr/ London said he ironid, personally, be willing to give the Ambulance 25 per cent, of the collection.' Mr. R. C. Kirk stated thatj the Bands Committee, not the 1 trustees, usually took the initiative in respect to Hospital • Sunday, and though it was expected, they-had not so 'far .■heard from that quarter. - >i ' ■:/ The - chairman ■ remarked that' Mr. Jnnson, who was a potent factor.in the.success'.of -previous Hospital Sundays, had resigned from the committee. He and Mr. Oakes used to-manage the whole thing. In the case of the appeal for funds for a children's hospital, he hoped they would succeed as they had in Christchurct where between-,£3000 and £4000 was raised. The Mayor already , had a donation of XSO, which he intended, putting aside as the nncieus of a fund. ,He had every faith: that the public would respond.; 1