THE RECORD REIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10423, 22 April 1897, Page 6

THE RECORD REIGN.

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. TREND OF BENEVOLENCE. Herald representative* yetterday again gathered opinion* as to the most fitting way of celebrating the Record Reign. All wen (freed as to the desirability of wtablishing something permanently commemorative, though opinion* differed as to the precise form. THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Dr. Sherman, who ha* taken a leading part in suggestion a children's hospital as a fitting commemoration of the Record Reign, •aid be thought the occasion wo* a most fitting one bring about the establishment of inch an institution. " What I suggest is that a children'* hospital be founded; an institutibn to be entirely distinct from the preeent hospital. At readers of the Herald are doubtless aware, a gentleman bos already offered to donate £50 to this object, provided nine others will give a similar amount. I have ascertained the opinion of many leading citizen*, and they have expressed their oordial approval of the proposal. My idea is that the children'* hospital should be a memorial from the Auckland people, and not a state-aided and regulated institution. I would have the children's hospital conducted in a similar manner to the provincial hospitals of the Old Country, and left in the hands of governors elected annually by the subscribers alone. Tneir duty would be to superintend the disposal of the funds of the institution, the internal arrangements being left to the resident staff. It is proposed to establish an hospital containing from 15 to 30 beds. This would not require a resident medical or surgical staff, as it is proposed that no cases of infectious disease be admitted into the children's hospital. The majority of the young patients in the hospital, I may say, are not cases of infectious disease. The position should be a central one. This would render it comparatively easy for all our medical men to give their services when required, and obviate the necessity of a resident staff. One of the strongest reasons, perhaps, which I could urge, is that there is not sufficient proper accommodation at present available for children, as the hospital has to receive patients from the larger portion of the Auckland province." " What are your objection* to the other schemes proposed?' "Take fjrst the proposal to establish a convalescent home. My objection to that) is that speaking generally, the climate of Auckland is unsuitable for such an institution, as one of the principal considerations it a healthy, bracing climate—which we have not got. If • convalescent's home iB to be established it will have to be erected outside Auckland. Let mo refer you to the vital statistics of the colony, which show that Auckland is far from being the healthiest place in the colony, and therefore unsuitable for a convalescent home. Regarding the proposal to add a children's ward to the present hospital, I do not think it would be fair to the people who subscribe. When the public freely and generously give, as I believe they will, in support of such an institution it is surely fair to give them a voice in the management of the affairs of that iustitution. If the desire is that a children's ward be added to the hospital let us be taxed, so that the building can be erected and a Government subsidy obtained. If the people of Auckland build a separate children's hospital let them have a voice in it* management." " What will be the cost of construction and maintenance of a children's hospital ?" "The initial cost of the institution would, of court*, depend on the size of the building erected. As regards maintenance, I consider that £50 per year for each bed would fully cover the cost of maintenance. The weekly cost at the present hospital is 30s per week— I consider extravagant—and £1 per week would, I am certain, cover all but the initial cost of orection."

"And you propose that the amount be raised— J" " By public subscriptions from the people of Auckland. At I have already stated, £50 baa been offered, provided nine others give a similar amount, and this, I think, could easily be secured. That would make £500, and form the nucleus of the fund. I wish you to specially note that I am strongly opposed to making the children'* hospital an adjunct of the larger one, as I think the result would be a great waste of public money, for it is well known that there is room for improvement in the management of our institution, and it would not be a wise thing to tack on something for which the Auckland public had liberally subscribed. No, all things considered, it is important that the children's hospital should be a separate institution, built for Auckland by Aucklanders. This, in my opinion, would be the best and most fitting monument to commemorate a unique record in the history of the British Empire." PROPOSED ADDITION TO THE ASYLUM. A Herald representative waited on Mr. F. G. Ewintrton (one of the official visitors to the Auckland Lunatic Asylum), who has also manifested considerable interest in the matter. Mr. Ewington expressed his approval of Dr. Baldwin's suggestion, that a children's ward be added to the Hospital, but while unwilling to do anything which would militate against the successful carrying out of such a scheme, thought that there was a better one—the erection of a wing to the Asylum, so as to bring about a betterclasrification of patients. " Such a classification," proceeded Mr. Ewington, "would do an immense lot of good to patients. My idea is that the addition should be called the Victoria wing. At the present time there are 420 patients in the institution, and early this year patients were being received at the rate of one per day. Among these are many patients who have mentally broken down, who are unable to take care of themselves, and require asylum treatment. It is too bad to nerd them with the worst class of patients, which, owing to there being no other accommodation, has to be done at the present time. The methods now adopted for the classification of patients are totally inadequate. True, we have the refractory patients (the worst cases) dining by themselves. An attempt has been made to classify patients. The management have greatly improved the exercise wards by dividing them, and they keep the better class of patients as separate from the refractory ones as is, under the circumstances, possible. But the means at their disposal are so inadequate that thoy cannot do very much for the benefit of patients. The erection of the Victoria wing would allow of a complete system of classification, which would be of great benefit to many patients, Take the case of a lady who has temporarilg iost her reason, or of a business man who ha* temporarily broken down and has to be confined. As things an they must be placed with patients of the worst dan, and this state ot things is most undesirable. When I speak of the better class of patients I do not mean those whose financial position is better than the others: I am speaking of those who have just passed the borders of insanity, and who must be placed under restraint for a time." "And what would bo the cost of luch a wing!" " Well, I have not gone fully into that part of the question. I think, however, that anything less than the sum of £15,000 would be inadequate for the building, furnishing and maintenance of such a wing. Although the Government would, of course, grant a subsidy, they could not be expected to bear the cost of maintenance, which I estimate would amount to about £1500 per annum. An extra staff would be required, and this would, of course, have to be provided for." "Do you think that such a large sum could be raited for the object stated " Yes; I think there would be little difficulty experienced on that head. The Government subsidy would be £ for £, leaving £7500 to be raised by the Auckland people, and I think it will be found that tbey will give liberally to such a deserving object. The building of the asylum would not coat more than £7500, leaving a similar amount to be invested. This, invested at 5 per cent., would furnish £350 per annum, and'l think the relatives of patienM may fairly be expected to supply the remainder. ~ It should be remembered that, with a little classification of patients, those who could afford it, would be able to indulge in luxuries which, at the present I time, it is not. convenient; to furnish them I with. Patients, oi muse, get all they re-

quire, bat there are patients whose relatives would be quite willing to pay extra for an improvement in the fare, which is plain, but of the best. Of coarse, if it becomes necessary, patients are supplied with beef tea, wine and spirits, night or day, but these generally are looked upon as delicacies, nob necessaries. With the addition of the proposed Victoria wing, these and other little attentions could be paid to convalescent patients, who at present have not the opportunity of enjoying them. Dr. Buckwell once said very truly: " There is a time in the affair* of lunacy which, taken at the flood, leads on to permanent cure, but, which neglected, leads to permanent disaster." Well, then what is suggested is that the quieter class of patients and those recovering be separated from the noisy refractory ones, and their recovery assisted by these means. At Ashburn Hall Lunatic Asylum, Dunedin, they endeavour to do what should be done in every Hospital in New Zealand— the patients. Lunacy is an exceptional infliction, and requires exceptional treatment. In answer to further questions, Mr. Ewington said the wing could be used as an inebriate home for a time if those interested desired it. Regarding the other schemes proposed, he expressed himself as being very much in sympathy with the suggestion that a technical school, properly equipped, should be established; thought that as an alternative scheme the founding of a benevolent institution, to be conducted on similar lines to the homes in Sydney, Melbourne, Duuedin, etc., would prove acceptable to the Auckland public; or that a convalescents' home for lunatics might be established. The suggestion that a Victoria wing should be added to the present asylum was, however, to be preferred to the others. PUBLIC MEETING TO BE CONVENED. The question of fixing the form which the permanent memorial by the citizens of Auckland to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee ought to take, is still receiving very general attention in the city, and none of the principal schemes proposed fail to meet with considerable support. This variety of opinion was at once demonstrated and admitted at the meeting of the Committee set up by the City Council to take the matter into consideration, which took place yesterday afternoon. Some members urged that the Committee should select what they considered the most suitable and practicable proposal and recommend it to the City Council as most worthy of the support of the municipality ; but others thought that in a matter of this kind no definite decision should be arrived at as to the nature of the memorial without first ascertaining the feeling of the public generally, inasmuch as it was all-important that the proposal eventually fixed upon should have the support of those who were to be asked to find the money. A very decided opinion was expressed by some in favor of a children's hospital, a scheme to which considerable prominence has already been given in the columns of the Herald, and other members again thought a convalescent home would be more suitable. The meeting eventually decided not to adopt any of the proposed schemes at the present stage, and resolved to recommend the Council to take steps to convene a public meeting of citizens to consider the whole question.