CONDEMNED BY CORONER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 111, 6 November 1941, Page 5

CONDEMNED BY CORONER

OLD MAN'S BACH

"A DISGRACEFUL THING"

Pointed comment on the conditions under which an old age pensioner lived, described by a constable as "not fit for any human being to live in," was made by the Coroner (Mr. W. G. L. Mellish), at the conclusion of the inquest yesterday into the death of Patrick Joseph Dailly, baker and seaman, aged 81. Dailly was found dead in the bach which he rented at the rear of a house at 62 Pipitea Street. The bach was 9ft 9in long, sft 3in wide, and, 6ft high—in the middle. A witness said that the bach had been passed by the health inspector four years ago.

"The evidence in this case shows that s the deceased was living in conditions which, to say the least of it, were very, very unsatisfactory," said the Coroner. "This room was small; it was almost impossible to get into it without bending double, and, as the police evidence shows, it was only possible to stand upright when you stood in the centre of the room. "I had a look at the bach. The! walls were broken, the door was ill! fitting, and if anybody had given it a! good shake it would have fallen to pieces." The Coroner then said tb.at the land- j lady, Mrs. Sheehan, had evidently had doubts of the advisability of allowing the room to be occupied, because four years ago she requested the health inspector to examine it. After having a conversation with Dailly, the health inspector told Mrs. Sheehan to let himj remain there. INSPECTOR'S ACTION. "To a certain extent that absolves Mrs. Sheehan," said the Coroner, "but if the health inspector inspected that bach and saw it as I saw it, then he did not do his duty. There is no question about it. He should not have let that place be occupied for human habitation.

"Public attention should be drawn to the matter, because if there are any other places in Wellintgon of a. similar nature it is time the health inspector got round and prevented them from being used for human habitation. It is a disgraceful thing that an elderly man, who served, apparently, in two wars, should be asked to live under such conditions."

In her evidence, Mrs. Minnie Sheehan said that Dailly paid 32s a month for the bach. She supplied a morning tray and did his washing and ironing; and Dailly also had the use of the kitchen facilities. She had asked him to come into the house and take a room there, but he said he preferred to remain where he was. About four years ago the health inspector examined the bach, and after having a conversation with Dailly told witness to allow him to stay there. The Coroner: I take it you must have had some doubts as to the suitability of the bach as a place of residence, or you would not have got the health inspector to examine it. It was not a particularly suitable place for an elderly pensioner?—No, it was not.

Mrs. Sheehan said / that Dailly wanted to be on his own, and did not want to share a room with anybody.

The finding was in accordance with the medical evidence, that Dailly died from old-standing disease of the Heart muscle.