NEWS OF THE WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 69

NEWS OF THE WORLD.

The following items have appeared in the Australian papers employing the independent cable service : VANCOUVER. March 19. The death of John Uroves, who arrived here gome time ago from iVlelbourne, ha« brought to light the scandalous treatment to wliich this man was subjected by the authorities here. Groves was arrested oa a charge of vagrancy, and, being unable to prove that he had any means nf earning n livelihood, was sentenced to 30 days* imprisonment. All hough suffering from •i isn>"Mtii>ti. Ihe man wan left For four days lying on the cold cement floor of the gaol in which he wa« confined. The immigration authorities, hearing of hia plight, had Groves sent to the isolation hospital. Here, however, the helpless fellow did not fare much better, for, ae it is declared, ho had a hard mattress for his bed, and was supplied with food of poor quality. An Australian merchant interested himself in the case, and, with the aid of a few local sympathisers, subscribed enough money to enable Grove* to returtt to Australia in the care of a trained nurse. The. man was to have sailed bV Hi" R.M.S. Makura this week, but hia condition became so critical that those who had befriended him were not surprised when they heard yesterday thai he had died.