GOVERNMENT SWEATING.

NZ Truth, Issue 309, 27 May 1911, Page 6

GOVERNMENT SWEATING.

THE LOT OF THE LUNATIC ATTENDANT.

Thirteen and a Half flours a Day.

"Compos Mentis" puts m a plea for the attendants at Porirua, thusiy:-

In the busy hum of everyday life, little is known of the lot of the lunatic attendant. He Vhas no union to bring his case into prominence, and, m the event of dismissal, he cannot appeal to any governing authority. The medical superintendant is lord and master of all and sundry. He is even denied the right of defending himself by asking for an inquiry.

It is a curious thing that m nearly all branches of labor under Government control the working hours are eight a day, and yet at Porirua Mental Hospital, almost within a

stone's throw of Government headquarters, men are' on duty thirteen and a half consecutive hours m one day, and eleven hours another, working alternately. Now, it may be argued that the lunatic attendant performs no manual labor, but there is very little work more tedious, trying and monotonous. Just imagine thirteen and a half hours con-stant-attendance on insane persons. The severe mental strain and the great' responsibility, surely justify shorter hours.

What of the policeman'? Eight hours a day are considered enough for him, watching the interests .of perfectly sane and rational beings. If eight hours are sufficient for the policeman, surely the lunatic attendant, who is shut up amidst dismal and monotonous surroundings, should not be required to work more m one day. At all times he has to be attentive, amusing, alert, and tactful, and with a nerve of steel.

This is the kind of thing that is going on m this so-called Workers' Paradise, the . country that is everlastingly being boomed as a real earthly heaven for ' those who will come. Let the Government, who are responsible for such wretched conditions, advertise thirteen and a half hours m one day, six days a week. It is a standing disgrace that there is no union to take tip the cudgels for these workers. Let the Government, who boast that they have the interests of the worker at heart, think over thirteen and a half hours as a day's work. The monotonous life of the attendants at Porirua might also be improved by the establishment of a recreation room, where they could enjoy a change when off duty.

Cissy Knight m witness's house, and had been so living there for a year and a, naif or more. The woman Knight was addicted to drink. The child was called Cecil. •'.

Albert Mildenhall, carrier, residing at Island Bay, said that Matthews had worked for him about five or six years ago. Matthews was then living with a- woman as his Wife m Duppa-street ; they had a child, which was probably 14 or 15 months old at that time, ' which Matthews said he had adopted. After leaving Duppa-street, Matthews went to Hanson-street. Matthews afterwards told him the child was down at Spencer's. Thus was three "months or so later. Matthews said that

THE WOMAN HAD CLEARED OUT. Witness believed that Matthews had taken a boat home.

JTo Sub-Inspector Sheehan : He had seen the child at Spencer's house when Matthews was living there. Witness could not possibly recognise the child now ;he had not taken that much notice of it.

Dorothy Lawton, laundress, working m the Victoria Laundry, said she had lived alongside the Matthews m Duppa-street. They had a child with them when they went to live there. The child was 14 or 15 months old then ; it was fair-com-plexioned. Witness understood the child was theirs. She did not know what became of it afterwards.

To his Worship : The child would be over seven years old now.

To Mr Dunn : They had only one child ; its name was Cecil. Enoch Spencer, carter, employed by Luke and Son, said' he was defendant's father. Witness first saw the child m Hanson-street. Defendant had informed witness he , had got the child from Matthews. "Witness knew Matthews well, and Matthews had said he was the father of the child. Witness was sure his son was not the father of the child. Matthews had paid several sums towards the child's support.

To his Worship : He would know tho child if he saw it now. Its age would be between six and seven years. It was fair with blue eyes. Witness would not be positive that the eyes were brown. ' Its hair was straight.

To Mr Dunn : The child's name was Cecil. It was taken from- defendant m Foresters-lane.

Defendant (re-called) said that he had been living with the woman for three years. She had no children to witness.

THE WOMAN WAS ADDICTED TO DRINtC, and that was why the police took the child. To his Worship : The child was the same as that mentioned m the adoption order. He did not know where the woman' Knight was. He had since been married to someone else. To Sub-Inspector Sheehan; He had not Jived with the woman Knight m Adelaide-road quite recently. Being pressed, he admitted that he had lived with her thsre three months ag.o.

His Worship said he was not satisfied as to the identity of the child. The various witnesses agreed only as to the child's name being Cecil. The case bristled with misstatements. He would like to hear the evidence of Cissy Knight, the woman Green, and the woman who bad lived with Matthews. He accordingly adjourned the cane till .Tune