MENTAL HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24582, 2 June 1945, Page 2

MENTAL HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION

Department’s Plans For Expansion

REPLACEMENT OF OLD BUILDINGS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. June 1. In a statement this evening, the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) said that accommodation for patients in mental hospitals throughout New Zealand had been causing concern for some time, as there was a shortage of beds caused principally by earthquake damage at Porirua in 1942, which necessitated the evacuation of more than 500 patients to the Chateau Tongariro and the Wairakei Hotel, and to other mental hospitals. Some progress had been made with the rebuilding of'the Porirua Mental Hospital to an ultimate bed state of 1000, but the building had been held up by a shortage of labour and materials. Cabinet approval had been given some, time ago, and plans were now well in advance for the erection of a new mental hospital at Lake Alice, near Marton. A start had already been made with this work. This hospital will have eight of the usual vill/.s, together with two further villas for senile cases, and in addition there will be 20 small cottages provided for those who are likely to benefit from association in smaller groups. The total bed state aimed at for Marton is 1000. New Seacliff Hospital The Minister added that it was planned to increase the bed state at the Kingseat Mental Hospital to 1000. Accommodaiion at this hospital would all be of the villa type. It was hoped to begin work shortly on the rebuilding o i the Seacliff Mental Hospital on a site at Cherry Farm, near Waikouaiti. This hospital would provide accommodation tor 960 cases, and enable the evacuation of the old accommodation at Seacliff. It was intended, however, to retain for a period portion of the existing Seacliff buildings. In furtherance of the departmental policy to provide accommodation in both islands for the lower grades of mentally defective children, the department had taken over an Air Force station at Weraroa, near Levin, which would be used to accommodate the North Island children at present at Templeton, and also the North Island children at Nelson. The present mental hospital at Nelson would be abandoned. “A matter which has been giving me concern for some time,” said the Minister, ‘‘is that there are a number of old people v.ho, in their declining years, suffer mental deterioration, and because there is no more suitable place for their care, are sent to d mental hospital?" I am hopeful that in both the North and South Islands it will be possible to utilise after the war certain Army buildings for the purpose of caring for these old folk. These, of course, would not he controlled by the Mental Hospitals Department.”