MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1924, Page 4

MENTAL HOSPITALS.

CHARACTER OF ATTENDANTS. MEN WITH DOUBTFUL PASTS, USE OF ASSUMED NAMES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The appointment of attendants at the Auckland mental hospital was the subject of comment at the Police Court today in connection with a case in which an attendant was charged with having assaulted an inmate or the institution It transpired that the man charged had been before the court previously. The medical superintendent of the mental hospital (Dr. Beattie), when giving evidence, was questioned oy the magistrate (Mr. Poynton) as to who mode inquiries concerning the character and antecedents of applicants for the position of attendant. Dr. Baettie replied that in the majority of caies there was no doubt as to the bona fldea of the applicants, but that bi accused’s case he had produced good references. Mr. Poynton: I remember a case In which a man produced five testimonials which implied that he was an angel, but not twelve months before he had served a sentence for the theft of benzine. Dr. Beattie; They come to me with -■ and false testimonials, that is the trouble.

The magistrate suggested that in future the previous history of those applying for positions should be fully investigated by the police if necessary, and Dr. Beattie agreed that attention might be drawn to the matter. At a later stage Mr. Allan Moody, who appeared for accused, asserted that there was a lamentable lack of system at the hospital. This, he said, had been evidenced by the fact that accused liad been placed in charge of a large number of mentally defective persons directly after his appointment, although ho had had no previous experience. Hq considered that there was no system adopted to get the right kind of men to carry out the work. Dr. Beattie and his staff were not to blame, and they were as capable as any medical staff in New Zealand. Mr. Poynton: I am sure that Dr. Beattie does his best to get the right sort of meh. The difficulty is in getting suitable attendants. It is not every person who will undertake such work. Chief Detective Cummings said the trouble was that in some cases men gave assumed names, as accused had done.