A NEW MENTAL HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 141, 14 December 1908, Page 6

A NEW MENTAL HOSPITAL

The decision of the Government to take the site of the Mount View Asylum for Government House brings two costly undertakings into view. A new Government House will be needed, and also a new Mental Hospital for the North Island. As to the former we hope that the exuberances of the Premier's ideas •will not induce him to sanction any departure from the simplicity and economy which are appropriate to a democratic country, but have unfortunately been recently ignored at Dunedin, Rotor ua, and other places that could be named. On tho other hand, we do not suppose that there is any taxpayer so mean vis to grudge the erection of a Mental Hospital with the very best equipment that science can devise. The cost will of course be heavy, but the duty of providing for the afflicted is so clear and so imperative that not a penny of it should be grudged. For years the late Dr. M'Gregor urged the claims of these unhappy people to the most up-to-date treatment, and pointed out the clumsiness and the positive cruelty of existing arrangements. But the patients for whom he spoke are without votes or civil rights, can make no display at the hustings, and carry no weight in the lobbies. Latterly there has been some considerable improvement, but even now the provision made is fax* below the proper standard. Dr. Hay's last annual report repeats the old story that "the accommodation in the Mental Hospitals is being considerably taxed." Though there was only adequate accommodation i for 3105 patients, the average number in residence was 3136. On the men's side there was an average of twenty-four vacancies, but no less than "fifty-five women had to put up with inadequate make-shift accommodation." The averages, however, as the report points out, really under-state the gravity of the case, for there is special pressure at certain times of the year for which the fact of there being some space to spare at other times makes no compensation to the unfortunate victims of overcrowding. It must also be borne in mind that classification is impossible without a constant surplus of room in each department of a Mental Hospital. But bad as present conditions may be, there has been, as we have said, a decided improvement in recent years, and what Mr. Hall-Jones succeeded in doing when he took Ministerial charge should always stand to his credit. What will shortly be accomplished will, we trust, redound still more to the credit of the Minister now in charge, Mr. Fowlds. No patch-work or piece-meal measure will do. We need an establishment on the lines recommended by Dr. Hay, which will not only give an ample margin for present needs, but will allow of the necessary expansion to meet the demands of the future. Outdoor work, and especially farm-work, being the best specific both for the health of the patients and for enabling the institution to become to a large extent selfsupporting, a site in the country is essential ; and plenty of room will be required both on this account and to permit of the necessary detachment of tho various buildings which are necessary for

any adequate system of classification. 'Under Dr. Hay's expert guidance we hope to see the Government realising its responsibility in this matter and rising to it. There are a hundred things which can better afford to wait than this, and Ministers can rely upon the undivided support of the country in the carrying out of what humanity and science prescribe as the best means of relieving one of the most pitiable classes in the community.