SERIOUS CHARGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10130, 6 June 1924, Page 8

SERIOUS CHARGES.

AGAINST MENTAL HOSPITALS,

WRONGFUL COMMITTAL OF RETURNED MEN.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 5

Strong allegations that returned soldiers had been wrongly committed to mental hospitals were made by Colonel T. W. McDonald at the annual meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association. Colonel McDonald stated he was prepared to prove every charge he made. Three specific cases were quoted by Colonel McDonald, who said he was prepared to make fully 50 charges if the Minister in charge of the Mental Hospitals Department would grant his request for a public inquiry. He said lie had had much correspondence with the Minister, and got what he interpreted as an admission of guilt of unlawful incarceration of soldiers in mental hospitals’. The Minister attempted to excuse the action of the authorities.

Mr W. J. W. Pascoo stated that when he was a member of the executive he frequently visited Porirua, and the fullest facilities had been given for soldier patients to he seen and their cases investigated. Every attention and courtesy was shown visitors by the medical superintendent and attendants, many of whom were themselves returned men anxious to do the best for their old comrades.

It was decided that Colonel McDonald’s statement be referred to the Dominion Conference of the association, which me'ets in Christchurch on Saturday, with a recommendation that an endeavour be made to have the matter investigated, by the Minister responsible.