LUNACY IN NEW ZEALAND.
In New Zealand there are 1115 male and 734 female lunatics confined in asylums. For a young country like this" that number of lunatics seems very great, but the comparison with Australia and England is not unfavourable to us. Including natives 74 per 1000, or 1 to 365 of the population, is the proportion in New Zealand ; but in Victoria it is 1 in 304, and in England and Wales the proportion is 1 in 341.
The nationalities of the insane are as follow England, 618; Scotland,29s; Ireland, 540; New Zealand, 198 ; Australian colonies, 30 ; France, 7 ; Germany, 41 ; Norway, 12 ; Sweden, 8 ; Denmark, .13 ; Italy, 7 ; China, 17 ; Maoris, 17 ; and unknown, 47 The ages of patients run from sto 90 years, and 46 different causes of death were assigned for those who died. The principal causes of insanity were congenital and hereditary 57, drink 45, self - abuse 20, child-bearing 18, domestic trouble, 16 epilepsy, 13 solitude, 11 ; religion, 10 ; and mental anxiety, 10 but 119 are put down as "unknown." Four persona committed were found not to be insane. The former occupations of pations were as follows males; — Labourers, 66 ; farmers, and . runholders, 25; miners, 16 ; farmhands and shepherds, 15 ; clerks, 12 ; but 15 are " unknown." Amongst females : 123 are put down " domestic dutiesthere were 23 domestic servants; while 15 had no occupation ; and 22 were " unknown." The net expense of maintenance last year was £36,464, but that did not take into account interest on money sunk in buildings and furniture. 7 The average cost per patient is £24 8s JOjd. In all the asylums, except in Auckland, there was an increase in the cost per patient ranging from 9s sgd, in Wellington to £1 9s 10, in Christchurch ; but there was a decrease of £3 6s 2£d in Auckland. The saving in our asylum was probably due to the completion of building and drainage. The total expenditure out of immigration and public works . loan for repairs. and buildings at each asylum to 31st) March last was £318,655.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)
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344LUNACY IN NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)
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