PRIDE AND POVERTY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 106, 12 August 1910, Page 5

PRIDE AND POVERTY

A PITIFUL STORY.' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. There died in Dunedin Hospital last night of pneumonia, Mrs. Janet Ross, one of the links in the early history of the north end of the city. A pitiful story of pride and poverty is revealed in her death. She was die widow of Mr. J. Ross, who was once the verger of All Saints Church, and on his death, 17 years ago, she opened a small shop in the north end selling lollies to children. The shop was worth about 4s a week to her, and she had also a pension of 14s. in an, after paying the rent of the shop and room, «he had 8s a week upon which to live. Many neighbours used to send her in little necessaries, but charity had to be very carefully offered, for her' pride was equalled only by her distress, and she refused to allow anyone to stay with her. On Sunday morning a neighbour, noticing that no smoke was coming from the chimney in Mrs. Ross' house, burst open the door, and found her lying in a semi-conscious condition. Arrangements were at once made for her remov--1 to the hospital. The unfortunate woman, who was 71 years of age, had very little clothing, and her bedding consisted of a counter pane.