PATHETIC CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 189, 8 February 1912, Page 4

PATHETIC CASE.

CREDITOR STRIPS A HOME. FAMILY LYING~ILL IX HOSPITAL. —— •■»' Auckland, February 6. A very sad story of the misfortune through illness 'that has overtaken a family in Auckland is reported from Vincent, street. A husband and wife kept a boarding-house in the locality named. They have six little children, whose ages range from ten years down to a year and seven months. The boarders numbered five, including a widow lady and her four months old child, and four men. Some time ago the husband bought the furniture from the previous occupier of the house. He had to borrow the money to do this, and gave a bill of sale over the furniture.

Everything went well for a while, but at last, sickness, overtook the unfortunate ' family. About the beginning of January the wife became ill with typhoii fever; then at intervals five other members of the family, includling the father,, became infected'. This left a little boy and a girl in the family, aged seven andfive years respectively, who did not contract the complaint. The others are being attended to in the Auckland Hospital.

The widow lady, who was staying at. the house, with great kindness of heart resolved to look after the childifen that were left and to run the board'inghouse in the parents' absence in Order to save the home from being broken up. Aided by the Charitable Aid BoaTd, she man-' aged to pay the rent, and all seemed to be going fairly well. But trouble was in* store for the kind-hearted widow and her charges. The. creditor who held the bill of sale over the furniture became impatient for a settlement, and on Saturday about 12.30 p.m. the widow was getting the dinner ready, when she heard » knock at the front door. On going tc the door sihe saw a lorry in: the street, and the (bailiffs informed/ her that they had been instructed by the creditor to take the furniture from the house. The lady refused adimittnnce to the men, requesting that she should be allowed to- see the creditor first. The bailiffs were quite willing to accede to the request, but an auctioneer, the lady states, who was in attendance, told them they were to proceed with the business at once. Driven to desperation, the widow called in the landlady, and the latter told the men that they were not to touch anything until the rent was paid The, auctioneer and the landlady then engaged in a heated altercation. The auctioneer was obdurate, and the men were eventually admitted to the house. Then, in the presence of the neighbors, the house was dismantled, almost every moveable article being taken, including nine beds and bedding. During the operations the creditor arrived, and! the widow ladty tearfully beseeched him to stay the proceedings on account of the illness of the family, but it is stated that he brushed all her arguments aside. She states that when she requested him to go into the room where the illness first occurred, he held up his. hands with horror and refused point blank to go in, and' would allow none of the furniture to be taken from.tftat particular room.

Thus was the dismantling of the home completed, the inside of the house presenting a sorry spectacle with the bare floors', the 1 walls denuded of pictures, and" small articles of children's attire strewn aibout. Almost heart-broken at what had been done, the kind-hearted woman, who had continued to look after the house far the sake of the little children, was taken in by sympathetic neighbors next door, and the other boarders had to seek elsewhere for accommodation. In the meantime the unfortunate husband and wife and their four children are lying dangerously ill, happily in ignorance of the newcalamity that has overtaken them.

In marked contrast to the unsympathetic attitude of the holder of the hill of sale, it may be mentioned that the neighbors and! tradespeople have behaved most generously. The 'baker, the grocer, the coal-dealers, and others, although they knew that payment would probably be deferred, said they would not cease to send in supplies to the unfortunate family, as all were liable to be overtaken by illness. It is understood that the sick family are in poor circumstances, and that they will have practically nothing in the way' of earthly goods when they come out of the hospital.