“Old People In Chch. In Concentration Camps”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 3

“Old People In Chch. In Concentration Camps”

(From Our Parliamentary .Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 18. The existence of concentration camps in Christchurch—in the forms of homes for old people—was alleged in Parliament tonight by Miss M. B. Howard (Opp., Sydenham). She called on the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) to see that all private homes and houses at which old people were boarded should be registered and subject to inspection by health authorities.

“I have been around many such homes in Christchurch,” Miss Howard said. “Some of the conditions in these places are deplorable. They have to be seen to be believed.”

She described one such institution as: “A shut-in pen. There.is no heat of any kind. The place is filthy. Breakfast is served at 6 a m. and the main meal at 3.30. Supper is at 6—and that is the

end of their day. The lights are hardly on. “You don’t need to tell me about concentration camps. We have them here.” The Minister of Railways (Mr McAlpine): Where is this? Is it in Christchurch? Miss Howard: Yes, it is. And close to a place you know.

She gave further examples. One elderly woman, she said, was in a small separate room, with a single bed and a commode. She was not permitted in any part of the house. The lavatory was inside the main house, and both front and back doors were kept locked. There was no access.to the toilet. Her food was left outside on the doorstep. “Concentration camps'. Could they be any worse?” Miss Howard asked. Kept From House In other cases, the aged boarders were not allowed to enter the house. Tea and vegetables were left at the doors of their bedrooms. “This is a habit that seems to be growing up among landlords,” Miss Howard said. “I ask the Minister to clamp down on it now.” She gave another instance of three women sharing a single bedroom—“and they are paying £ll a week each—£33 a week for one room.” '

There were cases where elderly folk who asked for meat had been told: “You are too old to eat meat.” These persons were paying £l6 16s a week for their board. “I want the Government to take over the right to enter these places,” Miss Howard said. “Imagine—hotel prices for a concentration camp.” Registration Urged

If homes for the elderly were registered, the abuses would be stamped out, Miss Howard said. It was a method the Government had taken in other matters. Years ago. there had been a move to take over supervision of private hospitals and it was alleged it would not work —but it had worked. Miss Howard made it clear there were more good landlords than bad ones. There were some in Christchurch who were doing wonderful work—and these would welcome Government inspection. It was only a small percentage which was not playing the game—“but the only way to prove this is to get the Minister to move in.” “We did it with child-care centres, after a bad case in Auckland,” Miss Howard said. “All the abuses there have now been wiped out. Supervision is the thing, and that comes with registration.”