STRANGE COMMITTAL

Evening Star, Issue 18030, 26 July 1922, Page 8

STRANGE COMMITTAL

SANE WOMAN IN MENTAL, HOSPITAL EXPLANATIONS IN THE HOUSE. [From Our Parliamentary Rkpouter.] - WELLINGTON, July 25. The commital of a* sane woman to the Auckland Mental Hospital was a mistake, jut there was no reflection on the hospital authorities, was the effect of the retort of the Minister of Public Health this afternoon in answering a charge by Mr Lysnar ■ that women had been wrongfully committed recently. , Mr Lysnar asked that the case be publicly investigated and an made why the medical superintendent retained a woman for a sufficient time to enable the Public Trustee to dispose of her business and until a friend interceded, in view of the fact that when approached ho unhesitatingly declared that the woman was perfectly sane, and agreed to release her at once. The member for Gisborne further asked,that inquiry be made whether the magistrate endorsed the committal order in an ex officio and perfunctory way without proper personal investigation as required by law, and 1 , if be found this to be so, would the have the magistrate removed from office in _ order that there might be no further repetition of this disquieting happening. The Hon. 0. J. Parr replied that all the facts had not been made public. _ The Minister continued that as soon as it was) found that a mistake had been made and someone could be found to look after her, she not being fit for discharge without attention and supervision, the woman was discharged. The rj bad been some criticism of the measures taken, but the facts were that the woman was in a mental hospital some years ago, and there was no doubt of her insanity then. She had been treated and cured, but within a.month from her release she made an attempt on her life, and was sent to an ordinary hospital, where she again threatened to talie her life. _ The police became ■ alarmed, and accordingly made application to the magistrate, and 1 , a certificate being given by tvjo doctors, she was admitted to the asylum. However, Dr Beatty decided that she was not fit for amenta! hospital, and he took steps to have her discharged. It was difficult to see how this state of affairs could be remedied by legislation. The mistake was made outside of the hospital, and' the order had been sanctioned by a sound magistrate (Mr Poynton), .but he had not yet heard what the latter or the two doctors had to say. He went on to show that the safeguards taken in New Zealand were stricter than in other countries. BUSINESS WELL SOLD.

The Hon. J. G. Coates, as Minister in Charge of the Public Trust Office, then intervened, stating that he wished to make a statement exonerating the Public Trustee from any malpractice. Mr Lysnar: You, sold her up while she was there. Sir Coates continued that when the patient was admitted the estate was looked after by the Rev. Mr Mason, and the sole asset consisted of the'shop at Otahuhtr, which the patient intimated she wished disposed of. The property inspector dtuly made his report, and recommended that the place should be by public auction.' This was done, and the proceeds amounted to £77, or £2 more than the-inspector had estimated. When the patient was discharged she expressed entire satisfaction with what was done. After cleansing the shop from its filthy condition it was let,and the woman did not go back to. otali oh u, so that the prompt action taken by the department to dispose of the stock placed her affairs in a satisfactory position. The only charge was £2 2s committal fee, maintenance being waived at the special request of the Trust Office.

CHANGED CONTROL SUGGESTED. Mr Savage took a further step by asking the Minister of Health whether, he ■would l consider tho advisability' of bringing mental hospitals under the supervision of tho existing hospital boards or some kind of local board to safeguard such persons, and allay anxiety. ' Mr Parr retorted that no local board would like to shoulder the whole cost of maintenance of such an institution, for that •was what it entailed. There was no reflection on the Hospital Board. Mr Savage: There have been in other cases many times. The Minister concluded that there was no reason for hoping that bettor ' results would be got from a change, and as far as ha was concerned tho statute was being administered satisfactorily.