MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10960, 28 December 1911, Page 3

MENTAL HOSPITALS.

REMEDY FOR OVERCROWDING. THE DEPARTMENT'S PLANS.

(Per Press Association.) Christchurch, December 27. The Hon. D. Buddo was interviewed to-day regarding the disclosures concerning the Auckland Mental Hospital. -

Mr Buddo said that an effort was being made to make provision which would cope with the overcrowding which existed in the mental hospitals. Additions were to be made to the Seacliff, Sunnyside, Porirua, and Auckland institutions, and ho hoped that these additions would be available at an early date to meet the recognised lack of accommodation for mental patients. The difficulty seemed to have come about through a considerable proportion of the population starting life in the Dominion at an ago when mental troubles were more frequent than they are at a later period of life. The statistics did not show that there was an excessive rate of mental affliction. The population had increased by 30 per cent, during the past 10 years, and naturally the number of mentally afflicted people had also increased considerably during that time. The result was that there had arisen a necessity for greater provision for their accommodation. It had not been anticipated that this increased accommodation would be required before the new buildings at Tokaauu were ready. The new institution was intended for patients who would be benefited by outdoor treatment, and a system of classification would be put into operation there. It would relieve the overcrowding to some extent, but the additions would also bo pushed on. eH believed that a tender had been let for the additions at Auckland. There had not been any complaint as to overcrowding at Sunnyside, but the additions there were considered necessary. He considered that overcrowding did exist in some of the institutions, but ho hoped that the provision which the department was making would copo with the difficulty.