POOR BY MISTAKE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1005, 23 June 1930, Page 12

POOR BY MISTAKE

CLERICAL ERROR COSTS LIFE How a family was reduced to want because a man’s allowance from the National Amalgamated Approved Society was stopped in error, and the man committed suicide, was disclosed at a St. Pancras inquest in England, recently. The inquest was on Harry Skelsey, a stove enameller, who was found gassed at his home in Mahape Buildings, St. Pancras. His widow said that the man, who was unemployed, had been drawing an allowance from the National Health Insurance Approved Society, but by a mistake the allowance had been stopped. That had left them practically penniless and in consequence her husband had become worried. Sydney Peak, manager of the National Amalgamated Approved Society, agreed that a mistake had been made, but said that as soon as it w r as found out an agent was sent to pay Mr. Skelsey. When he arrived, however, Mr. Skelsey had applied for work at the Labour Exchange, which meant that the society could not pay him. The only reason he could discover for the mistake was that two similar forms had been mixed. Sir Walter Schroder (the coroner): As one form is definite in depriving a person of payment and the other is definite in allowing it, I -would make the suggestion that the papers should be of a different colour. Mr. Peak: I think that would be a very good idea. I will put it forward. Tbe coroner found that Skelsey committed suicide while of unsound mind, but said there was nothing to show what caused the depression. “I rarelj r offer my sympathy in a loss.” added Sir Walter to the -widow, “because I might be doing it on every occasion, but I am sorry for this. “I believe there is just a guinea left in my poor box and I will give you that to help you now.”