MENTAL HOSPITAL SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14238, 29 December 1911, Page 10

MENTAL HOSPITAL SERVICE.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF "THE MiESS." Sir, —I wish, through tl:# medium of your paper, to draw the attention of tho Labour members and the public to the way in which the so-called Liberal Government keeps its promises to working men. Some three months back tho attendants in tho mental hospitals ■ throughout tho colony approached their ■ various members in regard to a lessen- I ihg of hours and an incrcaso of pay. Thoy woro granted two days a month moro but had their annual leavo reduced from thirty days to twenty-four. They wero fairly well satisfied with the leave, but could obtain no word of the rise. On election morning tho attendants in Christchurch received word that it was "understood" a substantial riso had been granted, starting from last April. Since tho election thoy have received word that they have been granted 50s a year more, instead of the £10 they asked for. Considering they start at tho princely sum of £77 tho riso is paltry in the extreme, and it is no wonder if tho attendants consider 'they havo been merely insulted and treated liko children, bribed with promises for their vote. "Why had -the Government not tho norve to tell them tho amount before the election ? No' wonder tho attendants aro prohibited from writing to or giving information to tho Press. f Tho attendants' who asked for tho rise receive 50s, whilo tho doctors, I understand, receive £■ without asking. Considering the poor pay of attendants, tho long hours (roughly 70 hours a week), tho arduous and often dangerous work, they are being treated very badly. As the attendants aro not allowed to communicato with tho Press themselves, I havo taken tha liberty to write and expose some of tboir grievances, as a warning to the Labour members in their dealings with tho Ward Government. A Government which treats its own -servants like that can hardly be expected to do much for tho labouring man. This may also draw tho attention of the new Government, the real Liberals, to tlio state of affairs in the mental hospital sen-ice. As far as I can sco tiie present Government is the real [ Conservative Government wo hear j about, only masquerading under tho name of "Liberal." If lam wrong in any of my facts or figures 1 stand open to correction. Trusting you will, as usual, do what you can to help tho downtrodden, I remain, yours, etc., DISGUSTED.