AMBULANCE EFFORT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1618, 9 December 1912, Page 7

AMBULANCE EFFORT.

QOOD DAY'S WORK, SUM OF j822-1 COLLECTED. People were not permitted to remain long ignorant of the fact that Saturday was St. John Ambulance Day. Everyone on the street is asked to contribute in aid of the good work that is being done by that body. •All through tho year the association works quietly, steadily, persistently, in half-a-dozen directions, training those anxious to learn in "tirst-aid,'' applying that knowledge wherever and whenever the opportunity serves, and sending out nurses to tho indigent sick, who are not in a position to command skilled attention in tho home. To holp the association a large number of ladies volunteered for servico on Saturday, and by 9 a.m. had commenced their day's work, which consisted either of a house-to-house canvas in a given street or a street-comer station. As it was not considered wise to worry people at every few yards along the street,, a person was able to purchase immunity by contributing a shilling, which entitled him to a paper badge. With that pinned on to the lapel of. his coat ho was safe from further "molestation." As it turned out, however, there were some men who rather liked being "molested," and who deliberately abstained from wearing the badge in order that they would be heckled at each street corner. ' These young men—not all young, be it understood—were a good source of revenue to the association. Most of tho collection boxes were handed in to the secretary (Mr. J. D. Avery) (who was assisted by Messrs. C. P. I'owles and H. Seed), at the No. 1 .committee room at the Town. Hall, at about 7.30 p.m., the final one arriving there at 9 p.m. All day, however, tho mid-city collectors had been emptying their metal spoil into the association s coffers at intervals, as soon as their boxes became too heavy. A running tally was kept through the day. At 5 p.m. the sum received amounted to .£162 odd, but the final count showed the splendid total of Bs. 73d. This was considered highly satisfactory, ns last year the amount realised was only .£132. The round total was made up as follows;— •! £ s. d. Gold HO 0 Half-crowns ; 18 15 0 Florins :■ 21 10 0 Shillings 113 0 0 Sixpences 40 10 0 Threepences ; 12 5 0 Pence.and half-pence .... 13 10 \0 Total 224 0 0 The usual petty deception was practised on some of the collectors. Among the miscellaneous offerings, other than coin of the realm, were tin discs cut the size of a shilling, a leaden slug, buttons, a Canadian cent., and a half-penny stamp. There was a single farthing among the copper coins..