MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 27, 1 August 1911, Page 8

MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

TO THft KDlTOft. Sir, -—A very interesting letter appears in your issue of yesterday, _ signed **11/. 0. iTullbrook." If the conditions stated therein are true, the writer has rightly referred to the mental attendants a-s unfortunate, These men and women aie en^ gaged in duties that afe arduous, delicate, and very often of a disgusting nature--duties performed under conditions and environments that are not conducive to peace of mind or buoyancy of spirit. Y"et they are called upon to work hours that no trades unioh in the country would allow ; even the hours stated in Mie letter fall short of the actual mark, for the attendant like the soldier is always on duty, liable to be turned out at any time, with no compensation in the way of pay for overtime that tho tradesman rightly gets. It is hard to imagine why a body of workers employed in such an import-ant work as the care of the mentally afflicted should bo treated in this fashion. The welfare of our unfortunate brothers and sisters demands that these institutions should be provided with a well-paid, efficient and above all a satisfied staff. The conditions should be such as would attract ato intelligent class of attendant, and hay ing attracted, keep them there, it i« evideht that thel'e is a false spirit of economy abroad in connection with our mental hospitals. The consequence, a ! dissatisfied and undermannetl staff, and j ri great deal of unnecessary sniftering oft the part of the unfortunate patients. It Would be safe to say that many an asylum tragedy has been caused by this same under-manning. It is not surprising lo find this state of affairs prevailing in the older countries, but to find the sama old state of affairs existing in this young country of high ideals and progressive legislation comes somewhat as a shock, and makes one ask whether the reforms we read so much about afe real reforms, "lasting and beneficial," or are they just a. coat of priming intended to cover up hut not remedy existing evils. How* fiver, it is to he hoped that sonic-thing will be done this session to ameliorate the lot of the New Zealand mental attpnd.ihtfi.—l am, etc., F.D.M. Wellington, Ist Augint.^Sli.'

The action in which the British India Company claimed £160.000 from the New South Wales Government in_ respect of the alleged negligence of a pilot in connection with the stranding of the steamer Waipafft, has been settled by the pa,\niont of a, comparatively small sum. I'he Crown, while paying a sum in settlement, reiterated it* denial of all liability.

Capta,int? Pinwell and Cochra.no, who arrived from London by the Ruahine last week to join the Defence Department, will leave Wellington to-morrow — the former for Chri&tchurch and the latter for Palmerston. The Hutt Valley No-license League has passed a resolution of sympathy with the family of the late Mr. Taylor and of appreciation of his services 5 also, emphasising the worth of his example, with its special application to local electors to strive for the carrying of prohibition at next election. An exciting experience which befell Miss Julia Crowe at Waiigaloa. on Thurs' day last is recorded by the Raitangata, Correspondent of th? Fress Press. The young lady had cycled over to Wanga« loa,, and while walking along the cfeek that runs through a property encountered a bull that had strayed tfom a neighbouring paddock. As soon as the animal caught eight of her it madly set after her, but luckily- the creek eepM&ted them, and the girl fled along one bank, pursued by the infuriated animal on the other. The girl reached a clump of willows about 20 yards away, whete the animal lost sight of her for the time being, but as thefle did not afford S»f.& refuge there was nothing left for her to do but make for an empty house some considerable distance up the rise. The terrified girl got about half-way up be« fore the animal again sighted her, when he cleared the creek find mndly charged across to head her off. Miss Crowe was by this time fairly exhausted, and the last 20 yards to shelter were done pirao tically on her hands ttnd icnees. The door was reached with not half a yard to spare, and as the girl fell in the doorway the mad bftite with lowered head dashed pa-st, jnst missing her heels. Miss Crowe had enough strength left to closG and snip the door, and then tainted. How long she lay there she does hot know, but when she came to Bhe caw the bull ofl. guard a shoTt distance from the house, and there it remained and kept ■her a prisoner until late in the afterAoon. The house is too far from any other place to attract attetttioh, ahd tt« Miss Crowe did not relish the idea, of spending the night a prisoner in such a lonely place she took the risk and quietly slipped out the back way, and eafely teached the road. It is Stated that this is not the first occasion this animal has enda-ngered life. The Weekly Press, to be published tomorrow, will contain a special portrait supplement ot the late T. E. Taylor, Mr. Frahk dfrady, of "The Shop for Presents," advertises new goods, and is showing some pendants, chains, and other jewellery.