RETURNED SOLDIERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9633, 13 April 1917, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS

TREATMENT OF MENTAL CASES STATEMENT BY HON. G. W. RUSSELL. The Hon. G. M. Russell (Minister for Public Health) referred yesterday to the statements made in Auckland recently at a meeting under the auspices of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, relative to the condition of the returned soldier patients in the mental hospital at Avondale. “I find, said the Minister, "that the total number of returned soldiers at the Auckland Mental Hospital is four, which is very different from the impression given. With regard to the treatment of these unfortunate men, on the last occasion that he visited the northern city. Hr Hay (InspectorGeneral of Mental Hospitals) met the three of them who were in a condition to bo interviewed, and received from them assurances that they were quite comfortable at the institution, and had no complaints to make.’ Quoting from Dr Hay’s report, Mr Russel] added : ‘ ‘That goes to show that none ot the men who are there are subjects who would not bo in the same place it, instead of being soldiers, they were ordinary civilian patients. I have been anxious for some time to make arrangements for the separate treatment of men who were in the earlier stages of mental trouble arising from service with the forces; and during nry last visit to Auckland I discussed with Dr Boattie (medicf.l superintendent) the desirability of establishing i° r V?® purpose an institution near the Auckland Mental Hospital similar to the Puketeraki Home near Seacliff, where all men suffering -from mental shook have been sent hitherto. As a result it has been decided to establish such an institution in what is known as the Wolfe Home, a building contiguous to the Auckland Mental Hospital, reserve it for neurasthenic soldiers belonging to the North Island, The institution is now being prepared for their accommodation; special orderlies will be supplied as probationer attendants, and the necessary number of experienced men w-ill be appointed from the mental hospital staff to look after the soldiers who have to be placed there. There will be, unhappily, some cases for whom the mental hospital proper will he the only fit place; but, wherever there is a chance of rechvery, the men will be placed in the Wolfe Home, and every effort will be made, as is now the case at Puketeraki, to lead them back to a normal state at the earliest possible moment, and thus enable them to return to ordinary civil life.”

A PENSIONS GRIEVANCE.

"A question was also, raised by the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association (said the Minister) with regard to the payment of pensions to the men. It appears that some time ago an arrangement was made by the Mental Hospital Department that the pensions of returned soldiers who were placed' in the mental hospitals should be devoted to their maintenance there. On my learning that this arrangement existed, I at once cancelled it, and the pension certificates held by the Mental Hospitals Department have been returned to the Pensions Department. And I gave instructions that the payment for treatment was to be made from the Health Department and the War Expenses Fund, not from the pensions.” Dr Hay, the Minister said, told him that when he last reported on the subject ho was informed that pensions woidd not he granted in respect of mental patients unless the pensions were applied to the maintenance of the patients; that if no application were made there could be no pension; that if a pension were afterwards granted the payments could not be made retrospective. He had inquired again into the matter, because tbe arrangement seemed to give the physically disabled an advantage over the mentally disabled in the matter of, pensions, and ho did not see why that should be. It appeared ho reported that the Pensions Board was empowered to grant pensions of 3Ss per week downwards to physically disabled men in hospital, and that the whole or any part of any pension might be applied to provide comforts for the soldier or saved for the benefit of the soldier against his discharge. Considering the wide discretionary powers of the Pensions Board he thought that they should he able to allow similar advantages to the mental patients. He could see no reason why men suffering from mental disablement because of the war should not he treated by the hoard on the same lines as those suffering from physical disablement so produced.