MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9577, 31 July 1923, Page 7

MENTAL HOSPITALS.

MINISTER DOES NOT FAVOR UALF-AVAY HOUSES. WELLINGTON, July 30. WJicn the report on Mental Hospitals was tabled, Mr.. Wilford urged the Minister to make surprise visits to some such, institutions. Mr. Atnioio said the increase in insanity was so alarming that there soon would not he enough sane people to look after the sane. Mr. Savage said lie had for years felt our mental hospitals were not everything they should he. It. was generally agreed l>y medical men there should be something in the nature of half-way houses. He thought the time had arrived when a Royal Commission should go into the state of our mental institutions.

The Hon. C. J. Parr: Without definite charges? Mr. Savage: Three years ago definite charges were made with regard to Avondale, and I think I have a report of Dr. Beattie which may not he wholly an admission, hut it. is partly an admission. that some charges were well founded. Since then conditions have not much improved. t The Minister of Health (Sir M„ Pern a re) said there were hundreds of official visitors to mental hospitals. They were practically open to tile public, and if there was anything wrong the Department, heard of it immediately. If there were half-way houses everyone who had mentally affected relatives would want to send them there, and we would require half-way houses the size of all the other institutions put together. The present system was the best. Ninety-five per cent, of the voluntary patients left cured. —P.A.

Dr. Hay, in his annual report on mental'hosiptais, states that the ratio of all admissions (exclusive of Maori. ) to the population was G. 51 (males (LSI and females 6.21) to 10,000, and of first admission 5.13 (males 5.95 and females 1.89) so that 1529 persons in the general population contributed one patient and 1811 contributed a patient admitted for the first time. These figures, more especially those which refer to first admissions, are valuable, giving as they do a fairly accurate indication of the extent of occurring mental disorder in the community and the proportion disclosed may be regarded as - satisfactory. Tlie report shows that there is an all round shortage of accommodation amounting to 156. or 101 for men and 52 for women, voluntary hoarders not being included. The average cost of maintaining patients is £l9 per annum. On the question of stigma Dr. Hay quotes the Koran “Give not unto those who are of weak understanding the substance which God hath appointed you to preserve for them, but maintain them thereout and clothe them and speak kindly to them.” In this matters he adds we ms v get enlightment fmn the Turk.—S fecial.