DIRE DISTRESS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 305, 11 December 1929, Page 7

DIRE DISTRESS

FAMILY’S HEARTRENDING POVERTY MOTHER AND NINE CHILDREN STARVING. BREADWINNER GAOLED FOR STEALING FOOD. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, December 11. “It’s the most shocking case I've ever come in contact with in all my thirty years' experience, and i have seen a few bad ones,” said Inspector Fletcher. “Yes,” remarked the Borough Engineer (Mr Bush); “It’s damnable that such a thing should happen in a country such as this. Just think of a man being gaoled for three months because he committed a crime to provide food tor these bonny children.”

Such were the comments of the officers ot the Lower Hutt Borough Council when entering a house in liandwick yesterday afternoon while on a tour of inspection. .Their entry showed to them a series of absolutely bare rooms, except the kitchen, where there was a table, some three feet by two, and a pot. There was not so much as a box to sit upon. The place is the home of a mother and nine children. The eldest, a girl of twelve years, was tending her mother, who only last Sunday gave birth to a child, with never a soul in the world to welcome it except the woman herself and her other children. There was not a bed among them all, not a plate, dish, nor so much as a knife or fork.

The father, who is a T.B. case and said to be not mentally strong, after being months out of employment was, six weeks ago, convicted of false pretences and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. The woman struggled on, too proud to let her case be known, and bit by bit everything in the home went to provide food.

Some weeks ago attention was drawn to the ease, and Inspector Fletcher went to the house, but the woman was too proud to let him in, and she assured him that slio was all right. However, dire necessity made her application to the chairitable aid necessary. and assistance to the extent of £1 19s 2d per weelj was given, but this was quite insufficient to make up leeway and provide for the expectant mother and her eight children living in the bare house.

Yesterday morning the true state of affairs became known and met by neighbouring houses being ransacked, and bed, bedding, food, etc., being provided. One woman who is working in an office got a day off and, armed with a scrubbing brush, soap, and disinfectant, went round, cleaned, and sweetened up the whole house, and bathed and tidied up the children. Naturally, they think her “Christmas,” but still there is the problem of the future.

At the last sitting of the Lower Hutt Magistrate’s Court the State Advances Office obtained an order for possession of tho premises because the instalments had not been paid. Through all the days of the woman’s trouble the house has been unlighted because the Power Board cut off the power supply, the accounts being oveidue.

It will be ten weeks before tho father is free to work, even if he can get it.