HALF-WAY HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1922, Page 9

HALF-WAY HOUSE.

FOR THE MENTALLY SICK. RBCOiIirHN-DATIOX BY vSVXOD. The matter of endeavouring to alleviate the lot of the mentally a-rH'ieted was discussed by the Auckland Diocesan Synod yesterday afternoon, consequent upon a motion being proposed 'by Rev. •H. i.Mason that the Synod should recommend for consideration by the Government Department concerned the establishment of homes of mental rest, where suitable patients could be cared for and be under observation before beirg committed to a mental hospital.

The mover stated that the present system of mental treatment, as conducted by the State, perhaps did more to increase insanity than' to decrease it. He meant by this that the great lack of any proper classification in the number of patients domiciled together often meant that thoee who .vere only partially insane, or temporarily "O, often received a big shock on 'being admitted to the institution where many were

r)"iiile hopeless cases, and there was vpry little hope of mental rest because of tlnhabits of the unfortunate onevs witli whom they were thrown int.i almost hourly contact. This phase of life did not affect -who were in ths fortunate position of having moneyed friend* to care for them In the hour of their affliction, but to those who were afflicted when in impecunious cirrum«tani-e? the issue to be faced wore a very different complexion. It was not difiicult to

understand just how distressed a temporarily insane person would feel on being placed amon<j many who had no control of their mental faculties. Instead of their minds being set at rest they would begin to feel alarmed at once, and it was very often the case that persons who were only slightly unbalanced on bein<r admitted to the in-

stitution became much worse in their condition, and instead of having to stay there only a short time they would make no progress and ultimately have to remain there for years. It was p. very sad condition of affairs, and on' "which the 'Synod could do much to remedy by giving out a recommendation of this nature.

Other speakers iirced the establishment of a sort of half-way house for the partially or temporarily insane,

special reference being made to the pitiable plight of ex-service men, who, through no fault of their own, ana though not seriously affected, were compelled through circumstanced imposed by reason of their war experiences to live among the unfortunate mental patients, for whom little or no hope oE recovery was entertained. The motion wae carried unanimously