MISERS’ HOARDS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20853, 11 July 1939, Page 9

MISERS’ HOARDS

AMAZING STORES IN HOMEB Some remarkable cases of comparatively wealthy hoarders living in poverty in London are instanced in a report issued by the London County Council. There was, for example, a male inmate of a Westminister Institution who was found to own securities worth £2478, besides being entitled to small pensions. When his case was brought to light by a neighbour, he was found to own £ l lsß in the Host ufiice Savings Bank, savings certificates to the value of £ 16u, war stock worth £205, consolidated loan stock valued at £362, conversion stock worth £2uo, funding loan to the value of £IOO and a Hearts of Uak Benefit Society surplus contribution book with a balance of £3OO. In addition he had a pension of 36s lod per month from the Transport B.oard, 4s a week from the Hearts of Oak, and national health insurance disablement benefit, on the death the council recovered £7O from the estate for its expenses and his maintenance. Another patient admitted to Hammersmith Hospital asked that her “room” should be looked after. The "room” was found to be nothing more than a filthy shed which had at one time been an outhouse, but iLs contents included a Post Office Savings Bank book with a credit balance of £645 and a National Provincial Bank pass book with a credit balance of £s6u. Slept on Table Then there was Mrs P., who died at the age of 81 years, after receiving outdoor relief for 10 years. She slept on a table, saying that she had been used to it for 20 years, and threatened suicide if she were pressed to enter the institution. Removed to hospital in the public interest, she died in a month. In her room was found a very rusty old tin trunk with no lid and apparently full of old rags. Beneath these, however, were a number of tied-up bags containing half-crowns, florins, shillings and sixpences, all yellow with age, evidently hoarded from her outdoor relief. Of this, £4O was recovered by the London County Council for cost of treatment, burial and relief, and the balance was handed to the Treasury solicitor. After the death of another patient in a council hospital who had been living in a small room in apparent poverty, the officials found cardboard boxes containing 56 £1 notes and 250 10s notes, two small bags containing 97 sovereigns and 54 half-sovereigns, and in the mattress a Post office Savings Bank book with a balance oi £314, an old age pension book and jewellery. Mental Patient’s Store A mental patient found wandering was certified. She had no relatives in England, and her room was cleared by council officials. Among the articles found were large quantities of confectionery, biscuits, sweets, chocolates, jars of pickles, marmalade, bottles of vino-car, cognac, whisky, Yorkshire relish, and olive oil, and parcels of tobacco, all of good quality and in good condition. There was also large quantities of stationery, consisting of expensive ledgers and cash books, and oil, matches and candles, as well as many securities and dividend warrants, the patient's means being considerable.