A DISGRACE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 163, 27 June 1911, Page 1

A DISGRACE.

We learn that the body of Charles Bloom, which was the subject of an inquest last Friday, lay in the Napier Morgue until yesterday morning. The facts of this case are, that Charles Bloom, who was known as the Clifton Hermit, was found dead in his whare on the Clifton beach. H-is body was removed to the Morgue, and Dr. Bernau, who performed the /postmortem, said at the time that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and had probably been dead ten to fifteen days. This was last Friday, four days ago. Taking the lower time mentioned by. the doctor the body has been thirteen days without burial. This is a disgrace to a so-called civilised community. A man, probably a graduate of Cambridge, coming of respectable parents is allowed to remain without a Christian burial for thirteen days. This is a loathsome subject to discuss, but the community should rise and settle once for all, as to who should bury such poor unfortunates as the Clifton hermit. A more horrible and disgusting state of things it is almost impossible to imagine. In other parts of .the Dominion trouble of this kind is reported, notably in Auckland. Why cannot we set an example and have such matters at•tended to ? The reason for the delay is understood to be the result of a misunderstanding regarding the interment of another pauper body. Apart altogether from looking at the subject from its sentimental point of view one should consider it in the light of its effect on health. Suppose that another inquest had to be held to-day or tomorrow, a doctor would have to I work in a room reeking' of noxious [vapours exhaling from a corpse nearly 20 days old.