A SAD STORY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7549, 24 September 1886, Page 3

A SAD STORY.

The body found at Island Bay on Monday has been identified as that of William Ward, a; married man, with a wifo. and eight children living, who resided in Cambridge-road. It appears that the deceased' had been despondent for some timo, and he last left his home on Monday morning, with the ostensible " object of ■ going in.search of work. Jn v consequenco of the apparent indications of a struggle on the spot'whero the body was found, Dr Hutchinsoh yesterday made a post mortem 'examination, and the stomach was for:warded'by the police" ,'tol' Mr -Skey for ■analysis; the supposition .being that Ward, had poisoned himself. ,• A sad story was related l>y Mr Johnson, Relieving Officer, at the meeting of the Benevolent Society •Trustees yesterday in connection with this matter. ; He said thai ho had called upon tlie family of the deceased and ascertained tliat for some time past he had been vainly striving: to support \m wife- and a family of^cight children,' the eldest of whom was '10. years, and the youngest four, months; The family had . frequently been without food for lengthened periods; ' and the doceased had repeatedly refused to eat, in order that there might be the more for the little ones. All of them werefound to be in a semi-state of starvation and had little ' clothing, while.the post mortem examination of Ward's stomach showed that he hod been without food for somo time. .He (Mr Johnson) Had made enquiries and learned thatdeceased was apeculiarlysensitivepersoh, and on this account had refrained from ■ applying to a relatiyo in town, who would, have been glad .to- render assistance.? At, one time ho had been part owner with a well known Wellington citizen in' a goldmining lease, and seemed to acutely feel ; his destitute condition.' Mr M'Kenzie '•said it was a crying shame that in a place 'like Wellington such a sad case of distress should be found to exist. , Ho moved that the rations which had been supplied by the Relieving Officer, be continued, and that that officer, use his discretion in supplying such articles of clothing and boots as were found to bo necessary ; also, that the Ladies' Society be communicated with in order that the family's wants might ibe attended ,to. Mr Wilson seconded the motion, which was earned unanimously, the trustees. agreeing that the case was an unusually painful one.— New Zealand Times.