NEGLECT AND STARVATION-

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1523, 20 August 1912, Page 6

NEGLECT AND STARVATION-

AN OLD MAN'S DEATH. (By Telegraph.—frees Association.! Auckland, August 19. An old man nained Peter Tumu, a Rnrotongnn, aged about CO years, was found dead in his hut on tho g'umfields a. day or two ago. Tho coroner and tho police visited the shanty on Friday, at a place called Tikihapi. near Tangaihu, Northern Wairoa, and they saw what will net readily bo forgotten. On tho floor, lying opposite the fireplace, was the body of an old inau. Hβ was scantily clothed in old and filthy rags,'while a pioco of sack was under his head for a pillow. His lower extremities were partly enclosed in an old sack.* There was no bedding of any description nor any other bedclothes under him—not even a bedding of fern. There was a little pile of brush in tho fireplace, as if ready for lighting. On tho floor near tho conpse were .several .tins filled with water, and a camp oven, also with water in it. There was not a scrap of food of any description in tho place. He looked very old, and it was manifest that death was tho result of cold, exposure, neglect, and starvation. At the inquest, evidence was given of deceased having gone round bogging whilst in a filthy and vermined condition. A verdict was returned that death was due to negloct and starvation.