MENTAL HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1931, Page 10

MENTAL HOSPITALS

OVER 6000 INMATES. HEAVY ADMISSIONS. At the end of last year 6293 persons were actually resident in the Government mental hospitals, according to the annual report of the department presented to Parliament. In addition to those actually in residence there were 359- patients out on probation in the care of friends and relatives. The population of Porirua is set down at 1446. -The institutions are suffering from a shortage of accommodation. During the year 1407 persons were admitted, and. in .spite of discharges, deaths, and releases .on probation, the population of the. hospitals was 336 in excess of that of the previous year. To meet the increase, additional accommodation had been made available for about 300 patients, but at the end of the year the department had 748 patients in excess of proper accommodation. The capital expenditure during the year on alterations, improvements and additions to institutions amounted to £134,140, but it is stated that as far as the South Island is concerned, both Seacliff-and Christchurch are taxed for ■room and an estate for the erection of a new institution should be acquired about half-way between them. “The pro vis iop during recent years of admission cottages, neuropathic units and detached villas, and the modernisation generally of our mental hospitals, have gained'for us the confidence and co-operation of the public in New Zealand, and, in my opinion, there is not a better system anywhere in the world,” states the Director-General, Dr. T. G. Gray. “But the progressively increasing handicap imposed upon us by lack of accommodation is tending to prevent full advantage being taken of our resources, and unless the rate of building is accelerated our classification system is likely to be thrown out of gear at no distant date.”