PATIENTS AND PRISONERS AID SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13856, 20 March 1907, Page 3

PATIENTS AND PRISONERS AID SOCIETY.

THE CARB OP HABITUAL DKUNKARDS, A wcll-al tended meeting of smVribors to tho Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society was hold in tho Y.M.C.A. Rooms yesterday afternoon for the purpose of receiving a recommendation from tho cominitee that tho society should be incorporated as a separate institution under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, (ho committee .having decided that tho society should lmdertako tho control of persons committed under the Habitual Drunkards Act. His Junior Mr Justice Williams presided. I'rior to ilin business for discussion coining up, (he society's agent (Mr .f, A. I'orraiice) said ho hoped he might bo permitted to make a brief reference (o his Honor 31 r Justice Williams, tho society's revered president. After a much-needed and di?roiighly-descrvod holiday, their president was again with them.—(Applause.) ]t went without saying (hat every trim :itizen heartily welcomed his return—(renewed applause),—but it was right and proper that the society should indicate its .satisfaction in seeing' his Honor iigain in tlio clliiir. It was'in the third year of its operations that Mr Jnstieo Williams accepted, iho position of president of tho cociety. Ho had therefore kept iho position for 38$ ycars/vluring all of which ho had' quietly and without ostentation been a power for good in connection with the society's work. Ho (tho speaker) could frnlv say that during his 40 years' institutional service tho president bad never failed to receive him as agent with cordiality 'when ho had in hand any cNcerjtionally_ trying or critical cases, and especially when Iho. casc6 of young persons were concerned—young persons who were first olfcmlora. Through all the years the president had given his very valuable help, his sympathy, and his counsel, and frequently from his private means. It was not miJifcely that the present was tho last occasion on which he (tho speaker) woiild-havo the honour of addressing the society, and lie look (!m opportunity of thanking Mr Justice Williams for his help in the past. Toi which lie would always cherish a grateful remembrance towards him. as well as ail ihn members of (ho committees. When ho considered all (bat had boon done, he thought that his 40 yoare' service had not teen useless. He felt that they should indicate fba satisfaction bis Honor's presence gave them.—(Loud applause.) t Tho President aiid ho had to. thank Mr Torrance for the very kind words- he had used concerning his efforts. He could only say.that during the whole of (he period lie liad boon president Mr Torranco had been the life anil soul of the society; indeed; ho did not know what the society should have done without Mr Torrance.—("Hear, hoar."] It, was all very well to talk, but a working statT was required, and Mr Torrance had been himself the captain and the oflicers, end in addition he had done a great deal of the iv.orl; of Hie crow as well. He was finrry to hear Mi- Torrance observe that this was probably tho last timo ho would «ddress.a meeting of tho encicty. He hoped indeed it might lie otherwise, and that for many years to como tho society would retain his tnrvicos and: valuable aid and assistance.—(Applause.) Introducing the business of the meeting, the. President said all present were no doubt nwaro that at the last fession of Parliament'an act had been passed to make better provision for, and care of, habitual drunkards—those drunkards whe had been convicted Ilireo times within the nine months preceding any conviction. The act enabled the Governor .o allow any institution to take charge of theso drunkards, and provided an institution was given the uiithoTity_ thoy would bo rccommendc , to that, institution, whero they would lie detained nud kept under discipline. Tho Government had approached tho society with a view of asking it to toke charge of theso eases so committed under the provisions of fho act. The committee of the society had Bono very fully into tho matter, and it had decided that tlio society should take over the eases, but it considered that prior to undertaking such a duty the fiocicty should l» incorporated under the Hospital apd Ohn.rit.iblo Institution Aet of 1885. Mr George Fenwick paid that Mr Quick (the vice-president of the society) had asked him to propose tho necessary resolution in connection with _ the matter, and he hail iriunh. plenouro in doing so as follows: — "That this meeting of contributors Io the fund* of th* Patients and Prisoners' Aid iSocietv of Dunodin cordially approves of tho decision of tho committee of the society to incorporate it as a separate institution under 'The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885,' and requests (ho committee to send to his Excellency tho Ciovertior-in-Council a potitiou for tho incorporation of tho society in terms of the act." Continuing, Mr Fenwick said this matter had been given very serious consideration. They wero launching out in a direction in which they had previously had nothing to do, and they wero laking upon themselves a very considerable responsibility. Not only was the responsibility a. financial one, but it involved the converting of the committeo practically into gaolers. They coidd not got away from that, for the act provided that proper care should bo taken of all drunkards committed to t,lio institution: to all intents and purposes they were 'Jommittcd to a gaol. This meant that a suitable building must bo provided for Iho reception of cases/ a competent and able stall would ba required to lake care of any number of persons committed to the institution, and tho society would bavo to see to it (hat tho inmate did not escape, and that they performed the labour allotted to (hem. It would bo scon that tho society was embarking on a. reaJly fcrious undertaking. The committeo had ejuifo realised thai. The matter had been discussed at Ecvcral meetings in all its aspects, and they believed'that they would bo'shirking their duty if they did not undertake the responsibility. All would agree that, the sociely was , the proper body to take the matter iii hand. At anyrate, the commitkc was of that opinion, and it hoped to have tho <nrdial approval of every person present. They realised at the samo time that in llw future they would bavo to make an appeal for funds, but when they considered Jmw the citizens bad given their support previously thoy felt euro that there would I>e no lack of contributions for the purpose, Mr Fenwick submitted to the meeting ll'e various steps that would have Io lie faken for the. necessary incorporation under the aet, in order that they might Isecome a. separate, institution, , and therefore b« abln io oblain Ilio Government subsidy of pound fur pound on all subscriptions. Ho added (hat this movement had its inception in a visit paid bv Mr Waldeirravc, UnderM'cre.Uiry to tlio Justice Department. :i little more (ban a month previously, during which ho set forth iho desire of tho Government I bat some institution should take in hand the hahilual drunkards as indicated. At (hat juoeling there were present Mr Graham and Mr Widdow.wn. iS.M.'s, (ho. wiiolo of ilio committee, and the agontrf. Thoy were given a month io notify their decision to (he Government. Eventually the committee kid , unanimously decided (hat the rociotv should undertake I be duties required. ~Thaf was Hie reason they met. together on this occasion. Tin ,

I commitl«o full}- realised that if. was cmbarking on something quite new, but it reckoned on the hearty co-operation of all (lie subscribers io secure the full number of 100 signatures required by the act.— (Apr>!ui!=e.) All , J. M. Gullaway said ho had groat pleasure in seconding the motion. He considered ihn proposal was a slop in the right direction. Ho would have expected tlio society (o slep into ;i broach of this kind, and he thought it would he extremely gratifying to see the society doing such a. mucli-nccdod work, lie wished it cvev.v suocc.vi.—(Applause.) The President euid that when ho heard o[ (h<: decision of the committee lie first hesitated, but upon relieclion he felt satislied that .its decision was a right one. As pointed out, it had Io undertake a: j?«-at additional responsibility in looking after Ihosn people and seeing that they did the work allotted to (hem, Io prevent their 'escape, and keep them under proper, discipline. Jit order to do that, of course, u eertoin stall would lmvo to lie maintained, hut ho did not think Ihcrc would be nny difficulty afior (hai, for when (liev wore an incorporated institution it would mean the doubling of their income. In addition, he Iwlieved the Government was prenared to mako a certain' allowance for every parson entering the institution. Ho did not think many persons would be committed: probably there, wero tinder IS persons who could conic under the definition of the, act in Dunedin. At all events, a.t first there would bo only a few' persons to 1 look after! f'fiat beinrcso. and (ho matter being one which the Government had asked fho society to.undertake in the interests of these unforlunato people, it seemed to him that it was their plain duty Io undertake it.—(Applause.) The motion was carried unanimously. Mr S. C. Phillips said ho quite approved of what fho committee had done so far as forming an institution ' was concerned. With regard to the other matter, ho bad not known what steps had been taken. Personally, ho knew something of the characters who would bo in the institution, and ho was very dubious .'regarding (lie siß'cefo of Ibis part of the scheme, lie would like to see. something of the proposed rules and discipline of such a place. Ho finite understood the responsibility of the undertaking: it wa3 very great indeed. The aspect of medical attendance must bo considered. II; was when men wore committed to such ,in. institution that (ho trouble hegan. When they entered they were- full of ey.cilemont and wonderment and kept themselves within bounds, but when they [clt the- actual restriction of liberty I hey wore likely to «.« out of hand, Ho would like to know where Iho institution was to bo placed and other details. 1 Mr Fcmvick eaicl the meeting fully appreciated tbo opinion of one who had been for ninny vcars the gaoler of Dunedin Gaol, and they fully realised what was contained in Mr Phillips's remarks. At liie present moment, however, it was impossible, before they were incorporated, Io ai-rango the whole matter. The question had just reached the initial stage, but ho could nssurc Mr Phillips that" great care would bo lakon in making the necessary "arrangements. They should begin on a small scale, and the committee might bo entrusted to exorci.-o sound governing principles. Of course, the thing waa an experiment—one of thrso I hat the colony had a name for makiuar. Willi regard Io medical control, (bore could not -bo a permanent doctor apnoiniod, of coin , "?, but ho <<elicvfld a practitioner could be got to do the work. Nearly all of those present attached their signatures to the documents. whMi were placed in the hands of Mr P. G. Cummings. tho society's agent, to secure the balance.