DELAY IN BURIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1933, Page 5

DELAY IN BURIAL

INDIFFERENCE OF NEPHEWS. NO RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN. (Per . Press Association, Copyright)

NEW PLYMOUTH, October 17

A delay of eight days occurred. in the burial of an old man, James Gray, who died at the New Plymouth, public hospital on September 11. This was the subject of a statement by the chairman, Mr P. E. Stainton, at the Board meeting this afternoon, following cm reports from the hospital officials. The chairman said that adequate steps had been taken to'avoid any similar occurrence in future. His investigations showed that the.procedure which had been in operation in the hospital for years had been followed. Tlie relatives of the dead man were immediately notified of his death.

The apparent' indifference ■of . two nephews of Gray was the main cause of the delay in the burial. They refused to accept the responsibility of burying their unde, and during the whole time that the body lay in tbe mortuary till tbe burial, a search for other relatives was prosecuted. The Board received the various reports, and took no further adion.