COVERED WITH PAPERS

Evening Star, Issue 19919, 16 July 1928, Page 9

COVERED WITH PAPERS

ASLEEP OH TOWN BELT MAH’S OPEN AIR CAMP Sydney Domain has a population who know no other covering than tho daily newspapers, and oven Dunedin has its people who sleep in the great open spaces, with nothing more than copies of newspapers over them these chilly nights. Within tho past few months several camps have been discovered in tho bush on tho Town Belt, and a night or so ago another camp was raided. To-day n man of sixty-six years appeared in the Police Court before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. He is the latest inhabitant of the Town Belt to make his appearance in the court. Tie was William James Bannatyne, and he pleaded not guilty to a charge of being idle and disorderly in that ho had insufficient lawful visible means of support. Constable Excell said that soon after midnight ho had found defendant asleep in the bush on the Town Bolt. lln had a camp about a chain off \\allaco street and the Queen’s drive, Bannatyne was rolled up in several newspapers, and covered over with an old overcoat. The constable said he had seen the camp before, and it was apparently used every night, as .each day fresh newspapers were found at the camp. When asked^ as to his mode of living. Bannatyne said he had no home., no work and no money. When asked when he had done his last work. Bannatyne said he could not remember Barinatvne said thnt > he had made a jiving drawing up wills. Sub-inspector Fahey: Did he say when he made his last will? Constable Excell: To me his memory seemed to have failed. He could not say that Bannatyne was the only man who had used the camp, but he was the only one witness had found there. Hundreds of newspapers were lying about the‘camp-Sub-inspector Fahey remarked that Bannatyne was a fit subject for tho institution.

“ 1 can work when my Jioad is right,” said Bannatync. “ I suffer from concussion and spinal disease. I remember nothing from the previous Sunday night, when 1 met a friend arriving by the night express. 1 do not remember going to Iho camp, A soldier at the hospital had advised mo to sleep on leaves on a slope when I felt the disease coming on,” Tho Magistrate remanded defendant for a week.

Tho Rev V. G. Bryan King said arrangements could probably be made for Bannatyne’s •mmediate admittance to the institution.

The Magistrate: In that case tho charge will be withdrawn then.