A DEAD BODY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 5, 30 June 1911, Page 5

A DEAD BODY.

AN 7 EXTRAORDINARY STORY. By Telegrapk.—Press Assboiatfrn. Christchurch, Last Night. An extraordinary story was told to a reporter this afternoon, to the effect that recently a dead body had been permitted by the public authorities to be unburied for a fortnight. The report, as it reached the reporter, was to the effect that a body had been taken to ta* morgue and left there for identification. , Then it had been forgotten, and it wae not untila fortnight later that the body was rediscovered. This seemed to be so like a story from Auckland that no credence was attached to it, but inquiries were, of course, made in the proper quarter. So far a.s the public morgue wan concerned the story was at once given an emphatic denial. The reporter was informed that no case of the kind had occurred or was likely to occur. It was suggested, however, 'that something of the sort might have happened in one of the institutions of the city. A gentleman who said that he was acquainted with the case to which the rumor referred said that he was not at liberty to discuss it, but that there had undoubtedly been a grave blunder. A patient suffering from consumption, he said, had died, and the body had lain unburied for ten or eleven days. Pressed to state where the incident had happened, he named the Christehnrch Public Hospital. The Hospital authorities, on being seen, stated that the report, as given above, was much exaggerated. The body of an elderly man whose death was due to consumption had been laid in the hospital morgue for a period of over a week but under a fortnight. The reason ■ for the delay was that enquiries were being made as to whether or not deceased had any relatives or friends in the district or the Dominion. The fact that the body was lying unburied was not forgotten by the authorities, who further stated that in cold weather such as lias been experienced locally for the past two or three weeks there was no necessity to hurry the burial of the body, and that in view of this, and as it was in a place provided for the reception of dead bodies, there was no fear of contagion. Tho authorities were unabTe to find any relatives or friends of the deceased, whose bodv was buried at the expense of the board. AUTHORITIES RETICENT. Christchurch, Last Night. , Results of further enquiries regarding n. delayed burial at the hospital are in the direction of showing that explanations previously telegraphed are probably not quite correct.' A great deal of reticence, which is apparently inexplicable is being shown in the matter. The chairman of the Hospital Committee, when seen, would neither deny nor confirm the report, but hoped he would be able soon to make a full explanation. The hospital steward simply referred the enquirer to the chairman of the Hospital Commitee. It was rumored that the Mavor had rwrfve.l a report on the matter, but l P v'! S < ' omm ' ll "'<'at.ed with ne stated he d,d not think it desirable at present to sav anvthin". The matter it is rumored, is capable of a sunple and complete explanation.