SHOCKING NEGLECT.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 22, 26 July 1893, Page 2

SHOCKING NEGLECT.

, Some shocking disolosnres were made at the meeting of the Benevolent Trustees , yesterday afternoon regarding the cases of four old men who wore sent down from , Masterton to the Benevolent Home last , Thursday. Tho Chairman (Rev. H. Van Staveren) stated that when the men were got ready for bathing one of them was found to be in : such a horrible state of disease that the Master dare not pnt him into the bath, but i telephoned for Dr. Adams, who, on seeing the man, at onoe ordered Turn to be removed ] to the Hospital, as being totally unfit to bo in the Home or to be at large. The other men were in better health, but they also required medical treatment. They were all , chronic cases. If this was a sample of the treatment of country paupers as compared with those in town, all ho could say wa°, " God help those in the country." What astonished him was that the man he had first referred to had been allowed to remain out of tho Masterton Hoepifal. It was a poor sample of Wairarapa benevolence. The Wellington Trustees had to tako the men, because they hod arranged to do so, but he thought it was a d-sgrace that a man in such a state should bo put into a train with other people. Mr. Kebbcll considered that the Mastortcn people ought to be charged with tho expense in connection with the treatment of the man in the Hospital. In reply to Mr. Kirk, The Chairman said the men were received into the Home at a feo of 6s per man per weeK. Mr. Kirk — Had yon known the condition of the cases would you have taien them for the money? The Chairman— Certainly not. Mr. M'Cleary, Master of the Home, Btated that when the man referred to by the Chairman got out o£ tho train, blood and matter wero 007 ing through his clothing, and when he was stripped at the Home he was covered with running sores almost the size of a walnut, the stench from which waß horrible. He also seemed half-starved. The bedding which he used until he was remorod to the Hospital had to be burnt, and the waahl ouee to be fumigated. The other men were clean, but suffered from chronic diseases. Mr. Beetham said an explanation 6hould bo asked for from the Wairarapa authorities. It certainly seemed to bo somebody's fault that the man was not eeut to the Masterton Hospital before. It was decided to wiite to tho North Wairarapa Benevolent Society for an explanation of the matter, enclosing a copy of Dr. Adims' certificate.