AN ASYLUM INQUIRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10562, 8 January 1896, Page 3

AN ASYLUM INQUIRY.

.(Per United PnEss Association) Wellington, January 7; The Bveiiiag P'oA wis recently interviewed by an ex-patient of Mount View Lunatic Asylum, who mado serious allegations * gainst the management bf the institution. Tie expatient having made affidavits substantiating the charges, the newspaper mentioned brought the mutter under the uoticß of the department, and akked that an exhaustive inquiry bs made. Accordingly Mr Martin, S.M., was .appointed for the purpose, and) ill the presence of Dr filCcGregbr (euperint'eridfent of asylums) sild' Di1 Fooks (the localmeSical officer), conducted the inquiry at the Bloutifc View institution, tb'o result of which the Post publisher fully to-night. The informant in his letters made charges of revolting cruelty practised, by attendants on pitieiiri on the Slightest pretence, and-also alleged that tbe victualling was bad, there being constant complaints of the food supplied. As to Dr Fobks, informant was ebbvinced he kiiew nothing bf tUese tnalpraotices. Be was loved and respected by the majority of this patients; hut 300 patietita were too many tor one man to superihteuts, and proper BUparvisidb. could not.be txi'rdised. "No mention is n;.ad?j" Says the writer, V'ih the ihquesfi report of broken ribs, crushed1 chests, swollen throiti " from the ill-treatnierit; received at ihe hsrltii of attendarits, and a man is buried in a pauper's grave without ii word against this heartless treatment; At the inquiry the informant only brought forward two witnesses, ciia*adx-attendant ) wh'o;t!iii'otigh misconduct iv the asjlurb; had been §il;en the option of resigning or being dismissed; srid tbe second an ex-patieut, whose evidence as to the food flatly contradicted the statements contained In the letter of the aiithor bf the charges, ahd who, in spitsof wHat he saw. constantly g&jug on, yet when he recovered his, ■ssnitr begged to'be allowed to stay ai t!ie ; asylum instead of being returned from whence he came; atiO whilst in the asylum wrote letters praising the ihsiitution and its, management. The .various charges were investigated sertatirflj the nttendanis and patients concerned btkig examined. A gsneral denial was given to the statement of the informant, and it was.stated that no further force thsu was necessary for. restt-aint was net d.. It wos also proved that the medical suparintehdpnt saw the patient?.ehbHly after tbe alleged offerees, and no complaint was maiis bii liira. All the patients enmnieii Expressed theifiselves satisfied with the food, both as to .quantity and quality. Ex-patients who gave evidence ugresd with them, and addfd that the food is batter than is got in mD^tdf the boarding hoiisep. Respecting the death inquiry, it wai showh that in every case an inquest is .held; tbi jiiry views the body, and the coroner has power tohavci upost mortem examination made by any rtiedickl man he thinks fib. As to overcrowding, that matter has more than once been dealt with in the report of the,inspector of,as^luuis laid b'Sfch) Parliament. The result bf the inquiry shows that whilst the charges m^dn utterly bio>e rlownj it was apparent to thosa holding tbe inquiry that aome of the attendants bad uot tbe knowledge, tact, and .discretion necessary iv thoss Laving charge of lunatics, and that where in dueling with refractory pati'nts it had been1 necessary ,to usd lore,?, uunecesnary or illapplied forcu had been ussd by two of the attendants. It was, therefore, intimated that they piusfc leave the service of the ssylnm, and they accordingly resigned, and four ethers were cautioned aj to their methods.