REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7382, 7 August 1889, Page 5

REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

[By Tslbobapk.] £l_oh otis ___oial cobbhspowdbnt.] WELLINGTON, August 6. The annual report of the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums for 1888 was laid on the table to-day. It shows that the total insane in the colony in 1888 was 168 L a decrease of fourteen since the previous year, when the total was 1695. In an introduction to the report Dr. Maegregor deals with the problem of chronic and incurable lunatics, and relates experience of England, America and the Australian colonies on this subject, and quotes from Dr. Maningj's paper to show the evils of the present system of overcrowding. He' advocates the establishment of separate Asylums for criminal lunatics, whose presence in ordinary Asylums is most mischievous. Much of the trouble of the last two years in the Auckland Asylum was due to patients of this kind. Last year a saving of £1 8s 2d per head was made in Asylum expenditure. This year a still larger saving of £2 os 7d per head was effected, without diminishing the comfort of the patients. The total cost per head is JE24 13s, which by repayments is brought down to _220 6s 7d. The Auckland Asylum again heads the list for, economical management, and next to it comes Christchurch. Nelson and Wellington are the costliest. Sunnyside Asylum.—The Inspector says: —" The building of the female wing of this Asylum is making satisfactory progress, so that by Christmas I hope to see. it fit for occupation. There will then be available ample room for all the female patients, and the new wards will be better fitted for their purpose than the old ones. The zeal an<t capacity manifested by Dr. Levinge and-his staff in overcoming difficulties consequent upon the fire and building operations have deserved my warmest approval. But for his vigorous administration the discipline of the institution and comfort of the patients must have suffered greatly during this trying period."