MENTAL DEFECTIVES

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 35, 11 February 1929, Page 6

MENTAL DEFECTIVES

If mental defectives are being committed to the existing mental hospitals under the recent Act, it to be an iniquitous proceeding. For many years complaints have been made as to the crowded condition of these institutions, but, above all. very great etre>s has been laid by the Department itself on the unsuitability of large institutions for classifying the patients and providing environment that will assist in their cure. The effect of environment is so vi!i under-tood that there is no need to enlarge upon v<. except to say that visitors to The exi-ting large irental ho— I'itals. whether they are relatives of patients or not. route away with the feelin™ thai there i> little or no elianee of the patient* receiving any benefit in the pxi-itin-j -uri'Mindiug*. A very >mall um<>um i>f priori l -* ha- been made in providing- a ivw villa* for *!]■■ jurpo-e ol " the piopo-ed fla>i>in>:<ii<>u and improved environment. With the increased number of inmates likely to result from t.ie wnrkine rf the new Act the condition- will be inTcafinzly \vor>o until more pro-jre— i- made in erecting additional villas. On,- dek-gate at the recent Science C<>nyiv>~ attacked the public for h? attitude to mental hospital patient-, Headerwill remember that a year or two aso the Department implored the j>i:bli'- !■' take m"re interest in the patients by visiting th* , inrtitutions and playing winic with tht-n:. etc. - v "' _ withstanding thi-, it \\»- later announced ~<-h-'-' arraiiyoiiieiit- were I.einv. n.: <\o w> .■-;:'l.'";-":i the new liospital for Auek'ciml .■i-* i- i ■ T -■••!•.? n.ile>oiuh of the city. \\ h'-i.- f.ieii tif- for will be more iri.onveir.eiit Than ..- j-iv-t-nt. A year or more muo a coti-1.1-v.i'mi- "aiiioiinr "\ jij-j-eareil in the pa;«-i- ai:o-i» •!..■ -■'i' , "i soiim' pr<..|»-ed new viila- at M.-utal H<— pital. After iii- contra.: ha-i iK'Vi.sliy been lei. a I.K-al .imitation ai«—e to ],a\." tiiem l'latfd ei.-ewliere. and lim-lly the i;..\r'i,'vii: -ave in. It was -tiHeil at lii'e iui.e that :iev. — :T«»-* ha'l been that w.uild be <[n\x- r.ii ;.-ia';ury. A paragraph appeared in •::■■ N.-]—i; t.ij-t <* fnrtni-jht ayu ; , ;; "Thi- i;t-w ;: •■i.i.ii hus.i'ital \illa~ to bi- ereetfd iii c ;■:• ;io:, with tJ'e branch of the Mental H--pit.il .'" >;oke will be >itiiuted near the ].;•.-• ::t I.;:.!."::• _-. thu? iiiec;iii<: The ]< m -m! ■.1.i,-,; ..,, t .. t:.-e •.....- erected near the μ-u',.-1 -.i<- . ; :.. .li-'rii-i-" . There i, i|,, n>i-iiii,.]] ~;' -,i... \>. ■■.:.::,■ ■■: th>" future iiinmtc-s ..t i!,,--,. \i,; - ;,, ■..- , ,0,-ijeretL The i.rifiinal rite- were .■!•..-,.,, -.\ ::.■■ l>ei>.-.n-nieni ..wing t<. tin- jih-u-.n;:. -;■.; ; !■■ -': :■•') - iHi the wide and bright view, 'i :.•■ ii> w ;«..ilii'll«. if near the present <vi;, :■■• ::: :i sully with Mich a re-tricti'd \ ie\v :■- :■■ n ; .ike Their environment much K--- Lt-iii-:,. i..J. Thi* '* pretty rouyh treatment i<.r -':.• j-üblu- to extend to patients who arc not a , '"- t-" , -r<"ak up for themselves. AENEAS.