"FOUND WANDERING."

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXXI, Issue 4131, 16 June 1920, Page 2

"FOUND WANDERING."

THE WAY OF HUMANITY

We often hear of cases of wandering cattle or wandering dogs, bu.t seldom hear of the words being 1 applied to humanity. Still, there are such instances, as the following will show:

Found wandering on Thorndon Quay, Wellington, lafce on Thursday night last a woman named Christina Saville and her two children —one an infant in arms—were taken In charga by the police and given shelter from the wind and rain. At the time of their apprehension all three were in. a pitiable condition. The unfortunate woman appeared in the Magistrate's Court on a formal charge of being an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of the Act, and on the application of the police 'she was remanded for a week in order that inquiries migh|; be made concerning her.

"An idle and disorderly person." This charge, brought against the poor woman recalls that which was recorded against the man John Kerr. He was charged at Paeroa with being an idle and disorderly person, and served with two months' imprisonment with hard labour. It afterwards transpired, however, whether he was an "idle and disorderly person" cv not, that he was a returned soldier who had served his country with such credit and honour as did him the utmost credit. It was not intended that he should suffer by the apparently harsh charge, as the Bench remarked The best under the unfortunate circumstances was done, bptn by the Bench and police. So poor John Kerr was marched of to gaol to serve two months for being poor and poorly clad. It is hoped that the case of Christina Saville will take a different form io that of John Kerr. That her position, with her two children, will be lifted up so that she need not wander again in the streets at midnight in wet and cold, poor and friendless. Some time ago a great deal was said about a number of poor families in Auckland. Thei'e must be many cases of extreme poverty in that city that are under a dark shadow. Some of these are entirely cases of misfortune .through the inability of their, earning power to cope with the high cost of living and expenditure and scarce house accommodation. It is hard even" to conjecture .the real cause of distress in some instances. It may be the fault of the husband, and it may not, for he is perhaps disabled, but no matter from what causa it does not alter the fact .that help is needed. Ways and mean's from various bodies of people who have collected money for the pood and help'ess should be brought to bear to help those in need and raise their social standing. We have heard in numerous cases that it is very difficult to obtain help in Auckland, even in most deserving cases, the "red tape" amongst some of "them being intolerable, although they are dealing wifh pubMc subscriptions obtained for the purpose of hewing those marked by want of the means of living. Since the above was written we learn that most gratifying results attended the splendid efforts of the Ccmmercinl Travellers and Warehousemen's Association when, on Saturday' a vigorous campaign to provide clothing and other comforts for the poo*' was carried out.