HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15202, 15 October 1919, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

By Telegraphr—From our Parliamentary Correspondent,

Wellington, Oct. 14. The tabling of the Mental Hospitals report in the House of Representatives to-day was the signal for a brisk and earnest discussion on tile subject of the treatment of our mental patients, particularly soldier patients. Sir James Allen stated that men suffering from minor complaints were kept in a special institution at Hanmer. They were not mental, but neurasthenic cases. The minor mental cases were sent to Karitane, where the accommodation was ample. More severe cases were committed to mental hospitals. Hedid not think it was in the interests of soldiers that special institutions should be created for soldiers apart from the civil mental hospitals.

Mr Witty: How many are there? Sir James Allen: I think, from memory, about thirty or forty. The Minister went on to explain that more eases were originally sent to Auckland, but all the mental cases were now sent to Karitane. As to the more severe cases, the civil institutions were Getter able to classify them.

Mr Isitt expressed the opinion that more care should he taken so far as notification to relatives was concerned.

Mr Russell said that the classification ideals held by himself and the 'department could only lie won by granting a much larger vote.