A PECULIAR CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3100, 28 May 1892, Page 2

A PECULIAR CASE.

1 Chaklks Hall, an old man, of 72 years of ' ace, who states tlmt he was at one time in J Her Majesty's Navy, and saw service dur- ' ing the Crimean war, was brought up yes- ' terday, at Hamilton, before Messrs W. A. Graham and John Knox, J.P.s., charged. J under Sub-section 1, Section 2(>, of "The 1 Police Offences Act," with having no ' risible lawful means of support. The man ' admitted the charge. Constable Murray 1 explained the circumstances of the case: That on Thursday evening last the old man 1 found his way to the Police Station, and begged to be taken in charge; that he was ' unable to work ; was destitute and in want 5 ot food and lodging. On questioning the : man, Constable Murray fcund that he had ' boen in the Costloy Home, and only lately ' been discharged; thnt he had travelled on foot from Auckland since being dis- : charged from tl\o Home ; that he had gone to Raglan and had found his way back to Hamilton, reaching the latter place on Wednesday lest. Constable Murray also learnt that the unfortunate man had ■ applied for charitable aid on the day of ; his arrival, and that Mr Turner, the secretary of the Hospital Board, had provided him with an order to get his tea, bed and breakfast, but that he could not grant any further relief, seeing that he did not belong to this distriet. In dealing with the case, the bench expressed themselves very strongly upon the position they found themselres in. Here was a case clearly one to be dealt with by the charitable institutions in the country, and yet they were asked practically tu commit the man as a criminal; an unfortunute, whose only crime, so far as they cnnld sec, was old ago and destitution. Mr Turner, secretray of the Charitable Aid Board, who was present, said that he had gone as far as he could in the matter, the difficulty being that the old man had not been resident in any particular district six months prior to his application for relief to him, and, under the Act, if he had granted further relief he had no other Charitable Aid Board to whom to apply for a refund. Finally the bench decided to grant a remand for eight days to enable enquiries to be instituted by the police, and by the charitable aid officer, in order, if possible, to do away with the necessity of committing the old man tu gaol. _„_««___