AGED AND INFIRM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15138, 31 October 1912, Page 5

AGED AND INFIRM.

• <* N l OLD -MAN'S PLIGHT. Ay. old man . named Thomas Perry appeared before. Mr. F. V.- Frazer, -S.Ms at the Magistrate's Court : yeete?dsy- oil a charge of being an idle an I disorderly person, in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. • '";'•., ■';.;., . Sub-Inspector Hendrey 'said that the .old man had beta a good, i steady workman, earning, good, money a!> bridge-blinding, until about four montb.a ago, when he left his work and began to live a life* of ease. He had exhausted his .-credit with all the Boardinghonses in Origarue, and. he -then had lived on the charity of tha settlers. The fact that he had been found on several occasions crawling about in the- mud on the road on his hands and .knees, had led the police to doubt his sanity, and he had been remanded from last' week for medical treatment.-- The gaol, surgeon,.,however, had reported that he was suffering from the effects of drink. He appeared to, be suffering from some sort of paralysis of the tongue, arid that made it almost impossible to get,any intelligent account of himself from him.

Asked if he had anything to, say, the old man made violent facial contortions, but no coherent words escaped from . his Bps, ~.■•,,-■,•;. .__ ,'■. .;■.. 'v; ':.;... ' •■,■■■>, V, '■■' The case'.was remanded.' for a -week, to enable inquiries, to be made at Ongarue. '