LIVED IN SQUALOR

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1934, Page 4

LIVED IN SQUALOR

YET WORTH NEARLY £1709. £l5O GIFT TO HOSPITAL. After living for years in squalor, Alfred Robert Carey, an old man who was found -dead in a bach in Martin Square, Wellington, last -week, was found to be worth nearly £l7OO. He had £7OO on fixed deposit with the Bank of New South Wales and £914 in the Post Office Savings Bank. Iri addition to ‘his more than £74, of which £46 was made up of half-sovereigns, was found in' his bach.

All this was revealed at an inquest held on Monday by the coroner, Mr. E. Gilbertson, J.P., who returned a verdict in accordance with medical evidence that the old man had died from heart disease. ’ • ' ■ ' ■ '

Although the evidence at the inquest seemed to indicate a hoarding of money to no purpose, this actually was not the case. Inquiry at the Wellington Public Hospital yesterday afternoon brought to light the fact : that two years ago Mr. Carey made a gift to the institution of £l5O. The officials remembered the occasion well, for Mr. Carey arrived with a very dirty paper parcel and from its soiled wrappings, much to their surprise, produced the money. Mr. Carey had lived at the bach, which was described at the inquest as being in a filthy condition, during the past five years. • He came to New Zealand in 1893 and was a bricklayer and also a wharf labourer by occupation, though lately he had employed himself in the collection of scrap metal and rags. The bach was filled with rubbish of all sorts and some of it was on the bed.

The occupier of the house behind which stood the bach gave evidence that he had last seen Mr. Carey on Monday of last week. On Wednesday he tried to attract the old man’s attention, but could get no reply. The police were called, and when the bach was broken into, Mr. Carey was found lying against a heap of the rubbish. Constable H. L. Scott said he had obviously been dead for some time.