HOKITIKA MENTAL HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 30, 4 August 1921, Page 9

HOKITIKA MENTAL HOSPITAL

REPLY TO CRITICISM.

Referring to Bishop Julius's condem%. nation of Hokitika Mental Hospital, the Minister pf Health (the Hon. C. J. Parr) yesterday quote!} from a report received from Dr. Hay, Inspector of Mental Hospitals. The report stated that it was recognised that it was necessary to have some agricultural land attached to such an institution, .so that patients could work in th,e open. Unfortunately, however, there was no such land in ' the vicinity, of this institution.' It 'was also admitted that the buildings were pld and somewhat out of date. Under the circumstances the Department had been considering "Whether it should "not close the West. Coast institution altogether, and prpyide for thp patients, in the Christchurch Mental Hospital. 'When th,e purchase of in,ore land at Christchurch was being considered last year, plaqs were made for receiving the West Coas.t patients at Sunnyside, but, unfortunately, after somewhat lengthy negotiations, th.9. proposed purchase fell through. The Department, therefore, had to consider better arrangements at Hokitika.

Dr. Hay believed that though no agricultural land was available at Hokitika, something might be done by interesting Hie' patients in forestry, the land being suitable for timber-growing. Silver pine., especially, wp.uk] do well on such lancj. "Recently,"-said Mr. Parr, "I asked the Department to make a final decision with regard to the Hokitika Hospita}, and it was decided when we got a suitable medical officer to go into the question in all its aspects.. As. a matter of fact, in the same week that Bishop Julius was thero an architect from the Public Works Department was employed in drafting plans for the rebuilding of the hospital in sections. This had been arranged with.the view to forming a small model institution at Hokitika. I don't think Bishop Julius could have been aware of these facts when he gave the press his interview." !M.r. Parr produced the report of. the official visitor to the Hokitika HospitaJ. This visitor said he "had always found everything in the hospital spick and span,'-' and the patients clean and well looked after. Ho spoke highly of the new superintendent, Dr. Buchanan.