THE ASYLUM ENQUIRY?

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 62, 16 March 1881, Page 2

THE ASYLUM ENQUIRY?

♦ ! THIRTEENTH DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CROSSEXAMINATION. MRS. KETTLE'S MONEY. The following is a report of the proceedings after we went to press yesterday :— John Franoia Harvey, warder, recalled, said — Since my previous examination I have had an opportunity -of measuring the old shower bath. It measures 2ft by 17in. Complainant said the witness merely contradicted another witness for the defence ; and the Chairman said his testimony led the jCommiaflkm to _beliesw that th« bath; was; ainalier than they Were previously tinder the . impression was actually the oase. John Henry Whitelaw's evidence was here i resumed. After describing the occasion on ' Which he took Feason, who was | clinging to Ithe arohitrave of a door, into the day room, ' he waa examined with regard to the treatment of M'lntosh. He said — M Intosh escaped twice in my time. Once he was | brought back by Constable Stewart, and , put in a room by himself. One of the attendants told me M'lntosh was in an j excitable condition, so, accompanied by Cook and Carrol I went to (see. him. This was at 10 o'clock at night. Seeing his excitable condition, I thought it better to give him a bath ; and, as I considered there was every probability of his struggling, I decided to pat him in the shower ba h, where there was less chance of his doing injury to himself than in the plunge bath. He was in' the bath from four to four and a-half minutes No bad language was used by me to him. The water did not pour down on him the whole of this time ; there was an interval of about half a minute. He did not stagger out of the bath. Afterwards he was taken back to his cell. While in the Asylum he ' never complained to me about the food ; the only thing he complained of was about being compelled to wear the jacket. It is Dr. France's duty to recommend patients for discharge. I derive no advantage from keeping sane patients in the Asylum. In 1877 and the commencement of 1878 the Asylum waa in a very over-crowded state. Since then, however, a new wing has been addedfor the accommodation of malepatients. The accommodation for convalescent patients is also much improved ; that for refractory patients is as bad as ever, with the exception that a few of the single' rooms have been ventilated. With regard to the ocasion when Mrs. M'lntosh came to see her husband and was refused admission, she asked me whero people could go who had no home, and I told her they might find accommodation for her at the gaol ; I was a comparative stranger in Wellington at the time. To the chairman — I know a patient named Albert Hall- The entries in the medical journal statins' that he has been confined in a strait-jacket and in seclusion day and j night for several months paßt are correct, I believe. Hall is very destructive and disposed to tear his clothes off. The only way to control patients of this kind is either to put them in seclusion and a strait-jacket or have a special keeper for. each. It is untrue that I went into Kate Foley's cell while she was naked ; I waited outside till Mis 3 Brigdon' came out and told me the patient was all riifht. There waa a grumble about the alleged insufficiency of provisions when Misi Brigdon was appointed storekeeper; that was owing to the fact that the previous storekeeper was in the habit of giving the attendants more than he was justified in doing, while Miss Brigdon adhered to the proper dietary scale. I remember Blackmore'a visit to the ABylum. Ho was treated civilly by me. It ie not true that I stood behind the attendants and encouraged them to hoot Blaokmore as he left the premises I called out to the attendants not to attempt to hoot him. The Chairman— Are we to understand that yon consider it necessary to warn your attendants not to hoot your visitors ? Witness — I never thought of it ; it was Dr. Skae who suggested it. He has had more experience than I have. (The medical journal was again referred to, and the Chairman directed the Superintendent's attention to an entry regarding M'lntosh's seclusions in.. 1877, to which an addendum had been" made in blacker-looking ink, making the entry read that M'lntosh had been kept in seclusion from day to day over a certain period, " except for usual hour.") I riadexhe addition, probably a week after thq -clerk made the entry itself. I frequently make additions qf that kind. Tin's particular entry h^s not been made since I hea^d M Intosh's evidence at this enquiry. The Chairman— I have been looking through the book, and I find you have not found it necessary to supplement any entry except that in regard to M'lntosh. Witneßs— This was an extreme case at that time, and a most particular one. Chairman— lsn't it somewhat remarkable that the only mistake the clerk made was with regard to M'lntosh ? Witness— l oould not say, lam sure. (The witness was here handed the journal and asked to search for other entries to which additions had been made in this manner, and after some time discovered one to which the word '"Bash" had been added). Mr. Chapman, who appeared for Mrs. Kettle, the ex-matron, then commenced to cros3-examinelihe superintendent, who said — I had accounts of the aums of money which Miss Brigdon obtained from me and gave to Alr3. Kettle, but cannot say wheee they are no«v. I did not leave the whole of those accounts at the Asylum, but took some away with me, and could not be certain whether %• still possess them. Perhaps I havfe mislaid them, perhaps lost them* perhaps, burnt them Bince I left the Asylum. Mr. Chipman —Do you mean to say you would burn accounts relating to matters which- were under enquiry before

this Commission ? Witness— The accounts are not under enquiry before this Cownis* sion. Mr. Chapman— The Commission is supposed to be enquiring what has become of the money due by the Govanuatnt to your mother. Mr. Edwards did tft understand the Commission were going into the accounts 'betwewthe Government anchMrs. Kattie. Mr. Chapman— lf Mr. Whitelaw oan show that he_ naa pwA all this money to Mrs. Kettle, the Commission, I presume, would be satisfied ttoa#Mjfcg«tjyeß were pure. The Chairman said CnequfKAb Was, whether the SuperintendentaofcoaUj burnt written memoranda of aooounts Aafomng to a matter that was being investigated-. Witness continued — I could no^ £»y whether I have burnt any ench memoranda — certainly not intentionally. I shall endeavor to find th»mv -Mr. Chapman— Before to-mdrrowP-^WMt*-! oould not do that. Why not?— Simply because I am 'not- afidwtd to' gb"s»Tlhe Asjlum. But, I am now alluding to the accounts you took away from thY Asylum ?—? — I did not I say took any axftkttints away from the Asylum; •' I said " mfenoranda." Well, can yon produce the ntMttoxcada tomorrow ? No. Why not ?— Beoafltt I have looked for them already, and cannot find them. Witness continued— l left aY the Asylum a statement of accounts, showpig the moneys paid by mo to Mrs. Kettle. I | don't think it would show the whole of the money paid to her by me ; I may hare omitted something. I have no statement showing the whole of thoße payments, therefore I am not in a position to state the exact amount I paid to her within a considerable number of pounds. Mr. Chapman — Then are we to understand that you have reoeived all Mrs. Kettle's salary from time tc time, and are not in a position to show how much you have given her ? Witness — That is so. Mr. Chapman — Havo you received any other moneys belonging to your mother? Witness—ls that before the Commission P Mr. Chapman — Will you please answer my question ? Witness — If it is before the Commiasioa I'll answer ; if not I won't. Mr. Chapman— Well, hay« you received a sum of £100 or thereabouts from the executors of Lord Kinnaird? Witness — If that question is included in the Asylum enquiry, I will answer; if not. I won't. Mr. Chapman— Yon are unwilling to answer? Witness— l refuse to answer. Mr. Edwards— l advise the witnesß to answer. If he does not take, my advice, ho must act for himself in th# matter. (To witness)— You are injuring yourself, whioh I, as your counsel, won't permit ; and if you refuse to answer, you must conduct tho defence yourself. Mr. Chapman then repeated the question. Witness — I have not received JBIOO. Have yon^ received any sum? — Mrs. Kettle received' it. Do you mean that Mrs. Kettle received it into her own hands ?— I gave her a cheque. On what bank P— The National. Has that cheque ever been presented? — Not by me. It stands to her 'credit entirely separate from any other accounts between us,. but not in the bank *ftie Chairman—Then where does it Htand?-" Witness — The money is in my possession. ; . She gave me the ohoque back to take charge of. Witness continued — She rats' rioter demanded the money— .£9B~from m«; and I am willingto pay it to her as BOOH tw ! *li«^desires. JDr. Skoo told mo that Mr. Hall, the Premier, was satisfied that I had no impure motives in signing Mrs. Kettle's name to the vouchers. lam not aware that Mrs. Kottle is without money at present, and is borrowing from her friends. There id a balance of a few pound 8 due to her on account of her salary. During the time^ahe wpt laid up there was an arrangement "between J}eraalf r and Miss Brigdon that the atter was to reeeire JttiO per annum 'for taking her place, so to spoak, as matron. This arrangement was a family -one, and not made known to the Inspector. To the Chairman (after a good doal of pressing) — I did not behove Miss Brigdon was my oouisin ; she was a cousin by adoption. (Laurfhter.) It was\owing to the- impression that she was my cousin that Bhe was exceptionally treated at the institution. To Mr. Chapman — I never told my'tnot'h'er 'that I did not intend to pay her. her money, nor .that I would leave her destitute. When I last saw her I asked her to sign a document received from tho Audit Department; acknowledging that she had received tho .£286 13s 4d en account of 'the touchers' whioh were not. ln' heX handwriting. I don't remember asking Mrs. Kettle to confirm my evidence, and to say Miss Brigdon was my cousin. I told her she would bo doing a great wrong to herself if Bhe denied h%fing Baid Miss Brigdon wrb her niece. . I could not say how muoh is due from me to Mrs. Kettle on account of her salary. It might be anything from JBI to .£25. . , At 5.40 p.m. the Commission adjourned till Friday nett, at 2 j>.m. • ' "