MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 278, 6 January 1914, Page 2

MENTAL HOSPITALS.

Referring in the House recently to the remarks of Mr G. Witty (Riccarton), who alleged that the Government was indifferent to the requirements of the mental hospitals in the Dominion because “the inmates had no votes,” Mr J. A. Young (Waikato) made the following statementl will show to the honourable member that he is unfair and that the Government are doing good work in regard to our mental hospitals and are making a commendable effort to provide the necessary accommodation for those unfortunate people who are compelled to reside within such institutions. New, take, for instance, the estimates theniselves. Take Porirua. Last year at Porirua there was spent £9,550, while 8,000 was voted. At the 31st March last there were liabilities to the extent of £255 in addition, making on that date a total expenditure of £9,805 for Porirua alone for buildings and accommodation. Take Seacliffe: In the estimates for last year for Seacliffe there was a sum of £9,000 voted, of which £5,382 were spent during the year ending on the 31st March, while the liabilities outstanding for work done at that date amounted to £2,789, making a total expenditure of £8,171 on buildings and accommodation. Take Tokanui, in my electorate. Last year the amount voted on the estimates for land and buildings was £22,500, of which £21,935 were spent before 31st March, and there were liabilities for work on hand to the extent of £2,563.’ The total expenditure during the past year ending 31st March was £24,498 at Tokanui. Now, Sir, in the face of these figures there is clear proof that the Government has done and is doing something to reljeve the overcrowding in the mental .hospitals and should get credit for what it is doing to provide necessary accommodation for the humane treatment of those unfortunate people. Sir, it is not to the credit of any member of this House to get up and speak as he did, seeing that what is being done is remedying the neglect ot past Governments and is far in advance of anything done by the Government he supported. To say that the present Government is doing nothing for the inmates of our mental hospitals because “they had no votes ” is cruel and mean and is not borne out by the figures and facts, and it should not have been said.

An Hon Member: Who said that ?

Mr Young : It was said by Mr Witty, the member for Riccarton. The Government proposes doing much more this year at Tokanui, as is evidenced by the authority on the estimates to spend a sum of £25,000 on land and building. The Government asks under this year’s Public Works estrmates for authority to expend £103,950 on mental hospitals, and the House is voting £50,000 as the amount required for the current year ending 31st March, 1914.