ILL AND NEGLECTED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1257, 12 October 1911, Page 5

ILL AND NEGLECTED.

AN OLD MAN'S PLIGHT; Writing from Paia&a, Kopntaroa, a correspondent, Mr. Douglas Gardiner, states: "Allow mo to ventilate what I ooasider a crying disgrace''to our "fair coun- 1 try. I havo at this moment an. old ago pensioner, who is slowly djing, partly feu - want of proper attention, winch I cannot give, not having tho time or oon» veniences, thcro being no ono else oil tho placc. I reported tie «wo to tlio jwlicc, who are doing tho best they can, which was to report to the Charitable Aid Board. They Irindly sent a doctor out to tell mo there was not much hope, and that ho should bo in t.ho hospital or a homo; but I am told there is no homo in New Zealand that would tako tho case. Aro ire, then, to Jet our outcasts (they aro our fellow creatures) dio a worse death than wo would givo most of our dogs? 'l'liey o-mdomn tho p<or-houscs at Homo, but there an old person can dio in cleanlinoss. I found the old hlau. last Trciday lying m tod, covercd in filth, for how long Xdo not know. I cleansed him and fed him, as ho can't help himeolf. If tliero is a place in New Zea* land where an old man, who is 76 years of age, and spent over 50 years of it in Now Zealand, ami has not got aa eoiomy or a friend in the country, can be projwriy cared for for tho last days of his life, kindly lot mo know." Tho above matter was brought under the notice of - tho Wellington Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board (Air. J. Coyle), by a representative of Tin: Dominion. Mr. Covle said that tho board had not received any application of any kind with respect to the old mun, whoso ease woidd havo received every consideration had nny information reached tho boaixl. Had ajiy intimation rogardilig tho case reached tho. board, said Air. Coyle, arrangements would havo boon mado to havo him removed t'o tho hospital. If there was no room there, ho added, accommodation and every caro would have Iven found for him by Mother Mary Joseph Auborfc, who has frequently come to tho assistance of the hospital when, during periods of congestion, necessitous cases havo called for immediate attention. There was also the Oliiro Home. "Vou can depend upon it," said Mr. Covle, "that if application is made, he will be cared for. What is (ho old man's name.-" "Our correspondent does not stato that." "Well," said Mr. Covle, "let. them send in an application right away, and wo will go into tho case. If we knew his name we would institute inquiries at once." Air. Coyle also expressed surprise that the members of the board, resident in that: part of tho district:, were apparently left in ignorance of the case. ! Tho matter was also mentioned to Inspector Ellison, who explained that tho procedure, to far as the police was concerned, was that any such case reported to him should be reported to the representatives of tho Charitablo Aid Board in the district, and if 110 action followed, and there still remained grounds for complaint, the matter should be referred to t.ho headquarters oflico of tho Charitablo Aid Board. In a later letter Mr. Gardiner slates: "Just after pouting my letter of the Sth inst.. to you I heard Of Mr. Af.-issev's meeting in Levin, and decided to bring the ease forward, knowing I would quickly get tho attention that was required. 1 gave Air. Alasfey an outline of tho enso before the meeting, and was told it was a ease for tho hospital. I brought the case up at the meeting, with the result that the doors of tho Otaki Hospital were immediately thrown open. It is more than <1 question for our local bodies. I again ask ilio question: Is theco a place in New Zealand where, a human dtrolict can lx> esnt at a minute's notto® to dio in cleanliness? Wo have had olhqf cases como before 11s of a similar nature, and there will bo many more 'such cases, as wo have our old ago pensioners wattored all over New Zealand, many of thorn like this old man living in tents and whares by Ihemwlves, enjoying the freedom of life they have been accustomed to. It would bo cruel to send such men to tho old men's homo. But when their end comes it is not such an easy Ihiii" to find a decent place for them to' die in", where they can be sent quicklv and quietly. I wish to thank Air. Alasscv and the Levin Mayor for the attention 'they gave 1110 and the prompt s-teps that* were taken."