BELGIAN CHRISTMAS BOX

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2341, 24 December 1914, Page 6

BELGIAN CHRISTMAS BOX

SHILLING FUND UP TO £3200. At a meeting of the Belgian Shilling Christmas Fund Committee, held yesterday under the presidency of Mr. C. P. Skerrett, it was decided to cable Home that day through His Excellency the Governor the sum of £3200, raised as a Christmas gift for distressed Belgians by means of a shilling subscription taken throughout New Zealand. The secretary (Mr. H. Amos) reported the following donations:—Already acknowledged, £2594 3s. 2d.; Wan'ganui, £174 lis. 4d.; Rauvimu County Council, £1 25.; "Anonymous," £1 lis. 6d.; Hastings (Mrs. Tosswill), £150; Kilbirnie (Mrs. Seville), 10s.; Paekakariki (Mr. H. D. Cooper), 35.: Palraerston North (N.Z. Fanners' Union), £1 55.; per "Waimate Advortiser," £29 10s.; Balcaim, 165.; Polmngina County Council, £1; Woodville, £38 25.; Timaru, £40 • Petene, £51 19s. 6d.; Stratford, £36 7s. 6d.; Oamaru, £95 15s. Total, £3217 9s. 6d.

Mr. Amos also reported that there -was an amount of about £14 to come in as the result of the Tramways Band and Choral Club's concert at His Majesty's Theatre on Sunday evening, which was not included so far in the total. In particular the secretary stated that he would like to mention "the fine response from the Government Departments— £60. They had not had a refusal right through the Departments, -which was very good in view of the way the Civil Servants had been contributing to other funds. Mrs. Tosswill, of Hastings, who collected £150, deserved honourable mention. Hastings bad really como out on top with £358, and Oamaru next with £332 Is. 9d. The committee of the Gear Company's employees annual picnic had forwarded £30, and in the Takapau district Mr. Sidney Johnston had offered to double any amount that was collected. The sum of £29 3s. was raised, and Mr. Johnston had sent his cheque for £58 6s. (Applause.) The committee would be quite safe in remitting £3200 at once. .Tho expenses amounted to £19 17s.

It was then decided to forward a cheque for the amount mentioned to the Belgian authorities through His Excellency the Governor "as our Christmas gift.".

• Before tho meeting dispersed, Mr. Skerrett said that ho did not think they ought to separate without indicating their thanks and apnreciation to Mr. Amos for the great interest he had taken in tho committee's fund, and personally for the timo and attention he had given to it. The vote was carried by acclamation.

A vote of thanks was also passed to collectors throughout, the Dominion. : The secretary said that the gathering of subscriptions had now ceased, . but there were stilleome lists to come in. The committee might yet hear of some trouble in Wellington. -Some of the ladies, who had been given maps showing the street or district they were to canvass in, had gone elsewhere, and the result had been that some people had been called on half a dozen times, which was never intended. 'Wellington had not done too well in connection with the Fund.