POVERTY AND SQUALOR.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1918, Page 1

POVERTY AND SQUALOR.

ill- Archibald M. Hall lold a *‘N.Z. Times” representative that on Tuesday morning he found in 'Jnranaki street in a room 12ft x 12ft live sick persons, comprising two women each with a baby and a hoy eight years ot age, lying on aiiold-inauressand covers oil the floor. The two babies were reclining on bundles of rags. There was no iooo or medicine, and no one to attend to the sufferers. The room, which was in a. very insanitary condition, was in a second-hand shop. The committee made arrangements with Major McCristell to send the sufferers three single stretchers, mattresses, and blankets. A women was put in to clean and disinfect the room. After the patients had been given the standard medicine, drinks, and nourishment they made satisfactory progress. Another sad case reported to the committee on Tuesday was that of a man and woman, recent arrivals from Auck land, who were lying sick on a make shift mattress placed on boxes in an otherwise empty room ill Cambridge terrace, for which they were pacing £1 a week rent. They had neither food nor medicine, and wore quite unattended. The man had become ill on the train journey from Auckland. The woman had been recently an inmate ot a mental asylum. The couple were absolutely destitute. Bedding was procured for thorn from Major McCristell, an 1 the committee attended to their other wants.

.Mr. Phil Green, another voluntary worker, found a. man, his wife and three children, all of whom were stricken with influenza, in a house in Taranaki street. They had been unattended for three days, and were.short of food and without medicine. The place was scrupulously clean, and iairly well furnished. 'The husband whose temperature was 104. deg. was Went to a hospital. Tlie committee sent, up nourishment and medicine to the other members of Lite family. ...