HOW OTHER HALF LIVES

NZ Truth, Issue 1246, 17 October 1929, Page 12

HOW OTHER HALF LIVES

"Digger'' and His Family Hard Pressed by Poverty

WORK, NOT CHARITY, IS WANTED

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative).

With the roar of the guns barely faded from his memory, a man led his bride to the altar, his happiness assured, and with confidence m the future. ' But Fate had other plans, and this man, who, at the age of 17 years,' carried arms for.his country, to-day has a crippled hand, five young children and a wife destitute, depending upon charity for life's necessities.

THIS is- a story of. victims of circumstance which so clearly, illustrates the old saying that onehalf the world does not know how the other half lives. ■ When" the Ninth Reinforcements left the Dominion, W. Bedford,was among the cheery boys who went'T away to fight He was then only 17 years old, and he returned home a month before the Armistice, still a young man, eager to take his .place m the world. He secured a position, and worked hard, -providing for his : wife and. the children that later - came to cheer\his home.' . ;...-'" Never short of the necessaries of life, the Bedfords found life was good, until the day when the. breadwinner was sent to hospital severely injured by a fall of • earth which practically buried him. For five months Bedford was incapacitated, but his employers realised his worth and his wages were paid. That was the beginning of the end, however, for- it was scarcely three weeks after taking, up his work again that he lost two fingers of the right hand under a circular saw. The hand was so affected that the use of the remaining members of the limb are useless for the work he was used to, and so he lost his position. Compensation was paid him at the rate of £132, but that was two years ago- . ■ „ So, from comfort, the family began to drift towards poverty; assistance had to be sought, and, while it was forthcoming, it was charity, and that hurt. Things did not improve, and then came the day when the family were -forced to leave their' home because the rent Was m arrears. They moved to Clyde Road, Island-. Bay, where to-day they manage to exist with the help of the Welfare League and other charitable bodies. Each and every day Bedford walks into the city, vainly striving to 'get some sort of work that he might earn money to feed his children. Each night he walks back empty-handed, but still he is undismayed. When a "Truth" representative called at the house he was" met by four little children, tidily enough dressed, but evidently wearing the only clothes they possessed.. 'y, A Mrs. Bedford, who said she did not know what money looked like, but that it was useless to complain, puts a brave front on what must be a heartbreaking position. She spoke highly of all the charitable organisations which aided her each week; they did all they could, but it only allowed them to scrape. through. The gas had been cut off three

weeks ago, and only recently the . electric light had been similarly treated. There .was a range by which the cooking .was done. Even candles are beyond their: power to purchase, and to save' this, expense the family retire early to bed. The five children have aJI heen m hospital, but Mrs. Bedford still has to take two of the boys there as outpatients, and to do so she must of necessity walk there and back each time. This is a genuine case of hardship. The victims do not complain, nor do they allege harsh treatment by officials of the charitable institutions. Mrs. Bedford has nothing .but the deepest' gratitude towards her landlord, who, although they owe him £40 for - rent, has so far not pressed for payment. Under the circumstances, "Truth" makes an appeal to its readers, not for charity, but for some light, work for the husband, whose record m the past has been excellent, and who is a man who will work. • | The address of the Bedfords is 63, Clyde Street, island Bay. . . .