RAGS FOR BEDDING

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25389, 12 January 1948, Page 8

RAGS FOR BEDDING

WOMAN LN DISTRESSING CIRCUMSTANCES "The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, Jan. 10. An elderly woman was found living in distressing circumstances in Auckland this week. A City Council sanitary inspector this morning superintended the removal for burning of a pile of tattered rags on which she had been sleeping in a single room in a house in Federal street. She shared the room with another elderly woman. The case was discovered a few days ago, when the woman, aged 73, became ill and a doctor was called He found she had collapsed on the rags in a corner of the room two or three days before . and had been lying there ever since'. The room was in a filthy condition and the doctor notified the sanitary department and the St. John Ambulance. After an inspection of the room the bedding was carried on to the verandah. to be removed and burned. The St. John Ambulance undertook to provide proper beds for the two women and to fumigate the room. It is believed that the older woman had lived in the house for about 25 years. At one time she had kept it in good order, but found herself* unable to maintain this standard as she grew older. Such cases are attended by the St. John Ambulance, which does much to relieve distress amongst old people, and other organisations of social workers. The best solution is for them to be admitted to wards for the aged and infirm at hospitals. This is not always possible, as the old peoule are frequently quite healthy, although not able to care for themselves. Tn addition. hospital bed« are hard to obtain. If this is the case, efforts are m?de to find relatives, who are asked to call periodically to see that everything is in order. A prominent social worker, the Rev Harry Johnson, said this morning: “They made ‘hfe city what it is. We must do something for them.”