Hall, December 14th same year, under the presidency of Dr. Miller, who, therefrom, has been generally accredited with being the originator of the plan.  The proceeds of the first year’s collection were given to the General Hospital, the second year to the Queen’s, and the third year divided among the other charitable institutions in the town of a like character, and this order of rotation has been adhered to since.

The following is a list of the gross amounts collected since the establishment of the movement:—­

1859  General Hospital..........L5,200    8   10
1860  Queen’s Hospital.......... 3,433    6    1
1861  Amalgamated Charities..... 2,953   14    0
1862  General Hospital.......... 8,340    4    7
1863  Queen’s Hospital.......... 3,293    5    0
1864  Amalgamated Charities..... 3,178    5    0
1865  General Hospital.......... 4,256   11   11
1866  Queen’s Hospital.......... 4,133    2   10
1867  Amalgamated Charities..... 3,654    9    7
1868  General Hospital.......... 4,253    9   11
1869  Queen’s Hospital.......... 4,469    1    8
1870  Amalgamated Charities..... 4,111    6    7
1871  General Hospital.......... 4,886    9    2
1872  Queen’s Hospital.......... 5,192    2    3
1873  Amalgamated Charities..... 5,370    8    3
1874  General Hospital.......... 5,474   17   11
1875  Queen’s Hospital.......... 5,800    8    8
1876  Amalgamated Charities..... 5,265   10   10
1877  General Hospital.......... 5,280   15    3
1878  Queen’s Hospital.......... 6,482   12   10
1879  Amalgamated Charities..... 5,182    3   10
1880  General Hospital.......... 4,886    1    8
1881  Queen’s Hospital.......... 4,585    1    3
1882  Amalgamated Charities..... 4,800   12    6
1883  General Hospital.......... 5,145    0    5
1884  Queen’s Hospital..........

Hospitals.—­The General Hospital may be said to have been commenced in the year 1766, when the first steps were taken towards the erection of such an institution, but it was not formally opened for the reception of patients until 1779.  The original outlay on the building was L7,140, but it has received many additions since then, having been enlarged in 1792, 1830, 1842, 1857 (in which year a new wing was erected, nominally out of the proceeds of a fete at Aston, which brought in L2,527 6s. 2d.), 1865, and during the last few years especially.  The last additions to the edifice consist of a separate “home” for the staff of nurses, utilising their former rooms for the admittance of more patients; also two large wards, for cases of personal injury from fire, as well as a mortuary, with dissecting and jury rooms, &c., the total cost of these improvements being nearly L20,000.  For a long period, this institution has ranked as one of the first and noblest charities in the provinces, its doors being opened for the reception of cases from all parts of the surrounding counties, as well as our own more immediate district.  The long list of names of surgeons and physicians,