SUNNYSIDE MENTAL HOSPITAL.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13840, 11 October 1913, Page 5

SUNNYSIDE MENTAL HOSPITAL.

©OMMISSION OF INQUIRY

J^BEQJfcM FRGfcOSALS

[United Press AsspoiAttoN.J

CJhcistchUfCh, Oct. 10

The Sunnyside inquiry leached its final sitting this morning;"whep. counsel addressed tHe Cfommtssfoner. Me Raymond, . K.C., for the institution officers,. said that the evidence, exonerated the medical .staffi and /attendants from ill© charges of impropriety; He recognised that charges" of the -most sensational character had ' been made, against the medicat officers, including drunkenness and callousness, ana against the attendants o.f brutality aud rudeness. The charges had been proved utterly baselessj and the inquiry had dissolved the misty illogicalness which sought to connect the shortcomings! of the institution's system with the personnel of the institution. That the death rate, the age rate, and the recovery rate at Sunnyside compared more than favourably" Jfitti other'lnstitutions in, the Dominion* had been^ .established beyond question. The -gruesome ajad. depraved, habits contracted consequent on insanity by patients who had previously led healthy and sane Jives made,it difficult for the relatives of such i patients to coanprehond the fuSl meaning of. the change that, had eome>over. the'patient's,. Mr Raymond reviewed the evidence and was followed ,bj. Mr i)ougall, representing the friends, of the lato W. Tribe. • - ■ V r ■ Mr Stringer, K.C., for "the Department, said the Department had in connection with the specific, charges remained entirely neutral. So far as the Department was concerned it had taken every precaution to prevent abuses arising. The Department, fully concurred with what Dr! Gow had said as to \the accommodation at the Jhospitft-1. This discovery, however, was? not a new one, and as far back as 1908 -ther.tbfen Inspector-Genera.!, Dr. Macgfegor, get out. what was required. That wa«'exactly what was being asked for -{to-day. Tlie' present In spector-Genenvl-in 4903 also pointed put that more a<S6bmm6dation was required at SunnysidKvin older that proper classification might: 'be carried out. Dr. Hay, Inepector-Gen-cral of the Department, had already decided to appoint two matrons, .and two head attendants at each of the places, so that the wrrriu would al\vay3 be under prorwrcoa trr-l . That, he considered, would,Ju » -'iy thintf: Absolute recovery won not the only quali-fication'-for (lu-chun^. In Tribe's eas© his detention wa<s no longer necessary. A certificate, as given by Dr. Orchard, could have been given by th© hospital doctors, and there was no reason lor an inquest, as death was due to natural causes. The whole spirit of the Act was to facilitate discharge.., Regarding accommodation, Dr. Hay eai# that two new buildings were to h» erected ab Auckland, bat difficult? over a cite. had led to delay at Tapanui. A new block of buildings was to be eifcc«d; at Porirua. An "admission place and -t. hospital were to ■ c ei'eeted' at Seac1. 'f. An admission pl&re ox men, and a pia<:o for fifty women '>f the turbuipit clr>-.. ■and imptrovementsr wiere a{so to oo carried out at WJaitati, near Seachft. The Commissioner will prepare ms report, and forward th* same to th<v Minister.