"IS THE GAME WORTH THE CANDLE?" (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 15

"IS THE GAME WORTH THE CANDLE? " (From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, June 15.

This afternoon thvi Hon. A. Pitt was asked by the Post to say something about the Wadtati Home, the administration of which ha 3 been very severely commented on. Mr Pitt said that when in the south ho received a deputation from 17 patients of the Home, and they made further charges supplementary to those made by the member for Lyttelton. " I have nothing furHier &$ add to my reply to that deputation," lie &s.id. Amongst other things the 17 patients had complained that the magistrate committing them to tJie institution told them, that they would get shooting-, fishing, and yachting to enable them to recover their health, but when they got there thoy found nothing of the sort. " One of them," said Mr Pitt, " complained that the magistrate who sent him to the Home had said it was so high-class that the patients dressed for dinner." Mr Pitt said : "It is quite true that there is a. mutinous spirit in the institution amongst the men. They are untidy, and have nothing to do except grumble and hatch mischief. They will not keep their rooms clean, and the condition of these is very disereditaible." Among the women," he continued, " it's very different. They are contented and happy, and keep the flower gardens in excellent order, and their jooms are models of neatness and comfort. It is a, tremendous contrast to the men." Mr Pitt stated that legislation dealing with the institution will ba introduced next session. When asked what form the legislation tv-ould take, he said : "Wo will have to consider whether th« game is worth the candle. However," he added, " either we shall have to do away with the institution, or make some improvements in the conditions inicbr which tbp rrUie.ais rxo K^pi there." He spoke of i!io po^jiiily of introducing a system of classification by which the "patients would be shown the desirableness, for their own sake and advantage, of doing work which is essential to the proper treatment and ultimate cure of the patient. " I should be sorry to see the institution abandoned," be said, " because, properly administered, it is. capable of much, good.

The sucoes9 of the -women's side of the Home is proof of that." Mr Pitt further mentioned that an ex-patient had stated that ho and four others had be-e-n cured, so that the authorities discredit the statement that there have been no "cures."