CARE OF INEBRIATES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 201, 22 August 1912, Page 11

CARE OF INEBRIATES.

BOTOBOA AOT FAKATOA.

IA!DrEB |AT[aN OF system ESDIO-WEED. Telegraph.— Paritemeartary Reporter.) •VpEIIiI!Nt?ION, Wednesday. ■Recent fifty-three residents of Borbo- ? Island petitioned Pa.rli«nreini *oir tactions in the regutaJtrores of the Sfates- tan*. TW - S afternoon, the SiMio Petitions Committee re-ported \*L the sainK, recommending th«ut the "Son ibe referred to rite Government Jo, consideration. A lengthy diswußshm ensued. Mr F W. Lang ssdd tirat there ■was a -iddeilto'eeKßg thai the term «f detention was <x» long, and he quite agreed Ljth this. Hβ thought that instead of iro jeB.TB, as at present, six nujnhs , detention would .be qirrte long eooagh. « wwdd be an inducement to good behavJour Tie im-mbcr far Mstmakeia eJeo ported tire request that books and s&ouM be suppbert to the inijates, a™ l thet a vote for this pnrpoae ApaH be piaoed on the Estimates. ' JDr Jeitt said he realised that the matter w* one °* I, ™* diffionity, jjjt if the ■work of these Histkwtione tos going to 'h* the mosit effective he thought the tarn of detention ahonW depend on the advice of the modicaj offi.Jg He 'thought it uirmise to sentence to these institutions for two years, for in most kiefcamx-s the object ■vrcaaid .be served "by a six inortthe' seirtwnoe- That chonid 8* the initial period, and , t3i» matter 3boifld bo left -to the medical officer, bo ooold see hew the inmates -were prop&gng, and wtoetbw a longer period roe necessary. jfj-, J. A. HanRD, ex-Minister for Justice, stated that the visiting josticee bad rjower to redniOß tiie e«nt«?iibes, ibott in inetanoes the request was to increase tie term. Be declared t&ese jjgmea hod not done the anW«aßt of good that was ajiticip»ted ni Stem. gja member for Ly+teWaso poiabed twit tliit the object of these institutions 'was out ntmishmeirt. The rnsnat'es "were mot jjjujjnads, but inwaJidß. At the Oonnrdtte* meeting 'theit dary tin? IVftjJtauaaterGwSli 'had iniUimated that he was prepareij to forward any ■papers or periodicafe far 'tilie instrtartion free. He thoagW; this conceesion shouM be mad* public He raged the Jfimeter to look hrto the natter on Ms risi't to Ancldood, for iM 'beEered that the inmates came out men after two years than whoa they "went in. Mr. T. W. Rhodes suggesited that a eysoem of TBTOtmemtive eirepk>yment aboold be institoted. Mr. Bradney said he believed the inmates were folly occupied growing ' pi eg ,e ' irities and fiahing- ilh«re had recently ibeen compiamrte respeiitriig the conduct of these places, and to his mind it 'was a question w-hetlter tilre care of these inebriates should be committed to these sectarian bonnes. He thought that if tiiese homes were necessary they drouJd be Stsrte msia-fcutioits, and if the State did not think it •aeoeaeaay to take them over then he certainly thought the» dtodd be Govenuifeni inspection. The (Mihietftr for tfrartioe (*he Hon. A. L. Henknas) eaid the smbject waa a (HBouJ* one. Th«re appea-Ted "bo be no doubt ib&t some aiitcnution in the system shotrfd take iplaoe'. H<e hod received nmnierous letters from, inmates and DenAera of Pariiamen-t the reduction of detention. Ii was contended that piuibKc uw>ney "wae 'being w-aeteA, b«swjsß if tnmiecosaaxy lemgtihy sentences were done away wrth many other inmatea coudd be admitted. 'The Act, he went on to say, provided for snporirifcendeoce, and it was the duty of the Inspector of ptrieons to see that the institutions ■were properly condratited. Bath Hstrbutians were under the Salvation Ifcnny, tat the Htate paid a sarbsidy on pereone committed to the institution. The pre.poar4era.nce of opinion seemed to ibe that a longer period than six moirdis was undesirajble, though he had heard personally that it took 12 months to get tire drink oat of 19ie system of an habitual drunkard. He quite agreed that more oaireful enpervTsion was required 'by the State, though this renark must not carry the snfSpp&tJnß. t'mt tie manag'emeii't was otherwise than cxeeJleat. LateT <?n be would visit the homes -with tho Inspector of Pri3t>ne, and he modd then be in a better .positkm to dee! "wrfh the question.