DUNNED FOR DEBT.

NZ Truth, Issue 93, 30 March 1907, Page 4

DUNNED FOR DEBT.

HARASSED IN THE HQSPITA:

A Blundering \Ass of a Bobby

Disturbs Dying Man for Dbctor's Fees. • ■ _;■' ,■ ■ ■-...'' The other day was a some* what serious accident on board- the steamship: Turakina, wherebyVa 'young hai?d-worj:ing .. . tpilerv on. -'the, , whar v«s named Tobjtn, m falling down the'hold of that vessel, met with very serious injuries* which might have ended latally. '•■. As, i it is he; is likely to be incapacitated from following any arduous employment for some time to come, and as he is a ( married man with a wife and, a couple' 1 of children depending unon. him, .his plight is indeed a &ad one. Wharf laborers are not millionaires, and can ill^afford to be out of work for any length of time, no matter 'how short, and consequently, haying met with such serious injuries, and not being prepared for such a contingency, Tobim's wife and .family have m the meantime to e6t along as. best they, can, ' though his fellowworkers have promised to do their best for them m the meantime. . When picked up at the bottom of the hold, Tobin was found unconscious, and was at once attended to by' some medical , man, who seeing the poor fellow's terrible state had him removed, per ambulance, to. the Wellington Hospital, where he is now and where he is making good headway towards recovery, „ . SO SERIOUS WAS HIS CONDITION, ' and it was really a case of touch and go with him, that the Hospital authorities deemed it necessary that he should be left quiet, and should be seen by no one, and no exception was made even, to his wife and phildren, let alone his anxiousi friends. But it was left, as it always is., to a tactless, blundering ass of, a {fro- 1 liceman to break down the barrier of immolation, and force his »ray into the sick chamber to demand from a man almost at death's, door, the few and expenses incurred for medical attendance and removal by ambulanct. 'Truth" does not know on wfao*n to rest the responsibility. Perhaps th« blundering , booby of a bobby pi*ly. obeyed instructions, at • anyrate h« said he was sent from' the Lambion Quay Police Station to collect' ths cash, and perhaps Inspector .Ellison, or Sub-Inspector O'Donovan, will ascertain who sent, the idiot out on such a • MER.CENARY MESSAGE, and give the serge«wit, or whoeref is responsible, a severe ran over his officious knuckles. "Truth" quite understands now v how it is that policemen are called John Dunns. Anything mean, paltry, and dirty, let alone brutal is comprised m a. policeman's duty m. Wellington, and this dunning incident at the Hospital about beats anything, and that is a lot, that this paper has come across. Indeed it might very reasouably be asked what are the Hospital authorities up to that such a thing should hanpen there. It is up to the hospital authorities to show a little more regard and care for the patients. A man almost on the' point of death is denied the privilege of seeing his wife and children, and no attempt is made to prevent" some blue-coated bum-bailift from entering a sick chamber and there disturbing a much distressed man about a few paltry shillings. It- is scandalous that "such a thinpc should' hannen m such an institution as a^public "Hosrrital is supposed to be. Both the HospHal authorities and the polieft should take care that this sort of thing does not occur again, otherwise some neople will be called very nasty names. . . .