THE RECENT ASYLUM SCANDAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8284, 17 June 1890, Page 5

THE RECENT ASYLUM SCANDAL

At a meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, yesterday, the question raised in regard to the six men recently dismissed from the Asylum was brought forward by Mr. Bollard, who said he considered that the Government were taking advantage of the munificence of a private citizen to hamper them with these people. If they were to receive 40 people from the Asylum the Costley Home would be filled at once, and the Board would have immediately to erect another Home. He thought the Government ought to meet the Board in a liberal spirit, and spend £5000 or £6000 in building' sufficient accommodation for their imbeciles, as they had done in other parts of the colony. The Government would not have dared to take the action they did if the Home had been built with money supplied by the ratepayers, and he maintained that the Government had no right to take advantage of the munificence of a private citizen. The members of the Board had as large hearts as Dr. Macgregor, but they would resist the action of the Government on principle. He considered that the way in which some of Mr. Costley's money was being spent was misappropriation. Tho money was not intended to relieve the ratepayers, but to provide extra comforts for the poor, and this was not being done. He moved, "That Dr. Macgregor be informed that the Board have no proper accommodation for the imbeciles from the Lunatic Asylum, and that they consider that the Government ought to make provision for their incurable cases from the Asylum." Mr. Swages seconded Mr. Bollard' 3 motion.

Mr. Kidd did nob think the motion went far enough, and he moved an amendment, "That tho Board refuse to accept the charge of any chronic lunatics, or so-called imbeciles, considering that the consolidated revenue ought to bear the cost of such cases, and consider that the Government deserve great censure for the course they adopted in attempting to foist them on to the local rates," He considered the Government should build an asylum for chronic cases. It had been admitted to him by Mr. Hislop that tho consolidated fund should bear the cost of chronic lunatic cases ; and there was no doir_>t that the six old men were chronic imbeciles. The Government must face the question of providing accommodation for such cases, which continually developed in process of time from cases of lunacy. The action of the Board in this matter had been commended from one end of New Zealand to the other.

Mr. Bollard withdrew his motion in favour of that of Mr. Kidd, which was carried, Mr. Mays alone dissenting. It was decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Hon. Mr. Hislop. A letter was received from the Newmarket Borough Council, expressing their appreciation of Mr. Kidd's action as their representative in regard to this case, and their thanks to him, and also expressing their approval of the stand the Board had taken. A resolution was received from the North Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, expressing sympathy with the action of the Auckland Board in the matter. The Eden Terrace Road Board wrote, suggesting tiiab a meeting of the contributing local bodies be called to consider this question. The members, however, did not think this step necessary.