WELLINGTON LUNATIC ASYLUM.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9347, 28 February 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON LUNATIC ASYLUM.

« The following is a continuation of the evidence: — William Dear, bricklayer, said — Becently I was working on the hillside overlooking the Asylum gpounds, when my attention was directed to the building by a series of screams. On looking round I saw an attendant at the back of the building raise his hand and knock down a male patient. After he was down, the attendant — whom I believe to be Duggan — struck him three or four times on the head as hard as he could. A day or so later I saw some lunatics excavating near the building, when a warder beat a lunatic with a pick. I was about four hundred yards distant at the time. The first occurrence took place about 8.15 a.m., the other at 11.15 a.m. I should say the attendant beat the lunatic at least thirty times with the pick. The lunatic made no resistance, but seemed to be getting out of the attendant's way as fast as he could. Cross-examined — If I again saw the patient who was assaulted with a pick I think I should recognise him, if placed at the same distance. The attendant was about sft Bin high ; the lunatic was a short man. lam quite sure it was an attendant. Alfred de Norville, bailiff, said — Four years ago I was a night-watchman at the Asylum. I remember the witness Mclntosh being there. I also remember his cold shower-bath, which, to tho best of my recollection, lasted 20 minutes. He was screaming the whole of the time. [The witness was not cross-examined.] John William Rickman, expressman, said — My mother has been an inmate of the Asylum for the last 26 years. It is now four years since I saw her. During those four years I have made four different attempts to see her. They were unsuccessful. Three times I was told she was " not fit to be seen;" the other time I was refused admission because it was a Sunday, and not a " visiting day," although I had been in the habit of going there on Sundays many years previously. To go on a " visiting day" would have necessitated the loss of a day's work. [The cross-examination was unimportant.] ■ Thomas Poynter, fireman on board the s.s. Stormbird, said — I .left the Asylum five weeks ago. I have seen patients fight. Once they were set to fight. An attendant nodded to a patient and said to another, " Go on, George ; he's good enough for you." They then set to, and one gave the other a black eye, eliciting the exclamation, " Oh, my G — ; you've knocked my eye out!" I felt thoroughly disgusted. When I went there I was told to keep myself quiet, and take little notice of what took place — that they had a padded room, and I might find myself there if I did not look out. If I had stopped I* 1 »™. very long I should have been an out-and-out lunatic. Another time I saw an attendant thrash a darkie, and throw a boot at him. The." bath " performance was hurried through as quickly as possible. The patients were " sluiced " with a bucket of water, and ran through with the greatest expedition. To the Commission — I was treated fairly myself. I was a quiet man, and if I had interfered at all it would have been reported that a ♦' turn for the worse had set in," and I should have been put in the "back." Convicts are better fed and treated than thelunatic3. The food was not only deficient, but sometimes was so repulsive that it could not be eaten. Cross-examined — It was Cook who set^theTpatients to fight. Bridget Crowe, the cook attached to the Asylum, said — I am under notice to quit the Asylum on the 13th March next. Eecently I was late in laying breakfast. Whitelaw asked me the cause, which I explained ; but the explanation not being regarded as. satisfactory, he asked me to send in my resignation. I declined to resign, saying it was his business to dismiss me if he did not wish to retain my services. A day or two. afterwards I received a note

of dismissal. Miss Brigdon was the } cause of breakfast being late, she not having given me the stores in time. It was not my fault. By the Commission — I have been at the Asylum eight months. During that time I have never seen Whitelaw ill-treat any patients, but sometimes the attendants would give them a knock. I was employed in the kitchen. Miss Mahoney might have complained about a deficiency of tea and sugar ; but there was always a fair quantity of bread. The butter has also been complained of as being bad occasionally. There was also a general grumble among the attendants regarding the bad butter and shortness of tea and sugar. When I first went there I used to take my orders from Mrs Kettle, the matron. She, however, has not done duty as a matron since she had a bad eye three or four months ago. Since then her duties have been performed by Miss^Brigdon. [Mr Edwards — I may mention that Mrs Kettle has been off the staff since the Ist of this month.] When I first went to the Asylum there was a scarcity of bread, but that was owing to the bad management. I have known of the attendants having to buy tea and sugar out of their own pockets. John Henry Whitelaw, the Superintendent of the Asylum, was next called and examined by the complainant (Mr J. H. Shaw). — He said : I have been in in the Asylum since June, 1877. — Complainant : Were you engaged at Home, or did you come out here and get engaged in the colony ? — Witness : I don't think that question is a fair one.— Mr, Edwards: There's no reason why you should not answer it. — Witness : Well, I was not engaged at Home ; I was appointed in the colony by Dr Skae's recommendation. I was not acquainted with Dr Skae at Home, and I am not related to him either by blood or marriage. Before I came to this colony I had a slight experience of the class of duties I have been performing here. — Complainant: In what respect? — Witness: I refuse io answer. — Complainant: I insist on your doing so. — The Chairman (to witness): I strongly recommend you to consult your counsel in this matter. — Mr Edwards : And I recommend Mr Whitelaw to answer every question he is asked. If I hear a question which I consider improper, I will raise an objection. — The Chairman : A question of this sort would affect the Colonial Secretary, who made the appointment. If Mr Whitelaw was inexperienced, the blame does not rest at his door, but at that of those who appointed him. — Witness continued: Mrs Seager held the position of matron when I first took office. A month afterwards she left, and Mrs Cook, the head_ attendant, performed her duties. My mother assumed the office a year afterwards, and held it till the Ist inst. Her salary was £100 per annum. She drew the money. — Complainant: Personally. — Witness : How do you mean " personally?" — Complainant: Did she get the money paid to her at the Treasury, or through another person? — Witness: the cheques were all sent to me, and I paid them all over to the attendants and to the matron. — Complainant : How did you get the money ? — Witness : By post from the Treasury. — Complainant : Did you sign any vouchers for your mother's salary. — Witness : y es< — Complainant: What did you sign?—Witness : "H. Kettle." — Complainant : You wrote your mother's name ?—Witness :No I didn't. My mother always, signs her name "Harriet Kettle;" I only wrote" H. Kettle." — Complainant: You had your mother's authority for that. — Witness : Yes. — Complainant : Quite sure of that? — Witness: Quite sure. — Complainant : In writing or verbally? — Witness: Verbally. The Chairman:" Will you tell the Commission why she did not write her own name ? — Witness : At that time she was suffering from a contusion on the thigh, which had laid her up. The paper was taken to her to sign, but she was unable to do so, owing to nervousness. It was then arranged between mother and I that I should take charge of the money. This was the first month she assumed office as matron. The arrangement has been carried out ever since. The Chairman : Do you mean to say your mother has been so nervous ever since that she has been unable to sign her own name? — Witness: The sheet has been taken to her several times, but she refused to sign. The Chairman : I suppose, as Superintendent, you have to certify that your mother satisfactorily performed her duties ? — Witness : I have. The Chairman: And you have done so, although she has been so nervous that she could not write her own name ? — Witness: I have. The nervousness would come on at once when she sat down to write her name or write a letter, but she could go about the institution. Complainant : As you received the money from time to time in this manner from the Treasury, didyou hand it over to her? 'Mr Edwards : I object. The Chairman (to witness) : You need not answer that question unless you wish. The witness did not answer. Complainant : Was this authority, which you say you got from your mother, communicated to the Audit Department ? — Witness : Not through mo. Complainant : Was the fact of the signature not being hers communicated to the Audit Department by you ?—Witness : No. Complainant : Frequently in the evidence we have had mention of Miss Brigdon's name. I wish to ask you if she is your relation by blood ?—Witness : I decline to answer that question. The Chairman : Then, are we to assume that she is not ? — Witness : It does not follow. The Chainnan : It must f ollo-w, if you don't deny it. — Witness: Well, my mother saicl she was my cousin. The Chairman : We don't expect you to say with any degree of accuracy whether a certain lady is a blood relation, because that's a fact not absolutely within your own knowledge. But by common repute, is she your relation ?— Witness : My mother informed me she was. Complainant : Did your mother ever give you any further information than that ? — [Mr Edwards : I object to going into private matters.] — Witness: I don't know the half of my relations. Complainant: And that is all you know about this lady ?— Witness : She came out with my mother from England. Complainant : How long has she been living in the Asylum ? — Witness : Since January, 1878. Complainant : And you have not cared to ask any more about it than what your mother told you — that she was a relative ?— Witness : Why should I ? Complainant : But did you ?—Witness : No. Complainant : And you don't know ? — Witness: No. Complainant : You will swear it ? — Witness : I swear it. Complainant: Have the Audit officials been up to the Asylum to make enquiries about the signature which enabled yon to drawyour mother's money ? -^-Witness; They have. The Chairman : When ? — Witness : About two months ago. Complainant : Did your mother deny the authority. — Witness: She said she did not jcecofiect it.

Complainant : Is that all she eaid ?— Witness : I don't remember anything else just now. Complainant: She did not satisfy the Audit officials that she had authorised you to sign the vouchers? — Witness: Not the official who was sent, but she did his superiors. The Chairman : Is your mother still in the Asylum ?— Witness : Yes. The Chairman : Are we to understand that she is there at thte present moment ?• — Witness : I would not say that. The Chairman: Was she there this morning ?— Witness : Yes; I saw her there about 10 o'clock this morning. The Chairman: Do you expect her backto-night?— Witness: Shedidnotsay whether she was coming back or not. I expect her back. Dr Skae sanctioned her remaining there for the present. Mr Chapman here intimated that he had been instructed to appear on Mrs Kettle's behalf. Examination continued : I have not been making my own regulations at the Asylum from day to day. I did not understand the complainant to ask for a copy of the general printed regulations when he wrote to me some time ago. I would not feel justified in giving a copy of those regulations to an outsider without the special sanction of ! Dr Skae, who is the Inspector of Lunatic [ Asylums. The word "Inspector" is mentioned in the Act. I cannot say whether it refers to a local inspector, nor do I know whether "Inspector of Lunatic Asylums " appears in the Act at all. I treated the patients according to precedent ; that is, the precise state of things I found the Asylum in- when I took it over I have continued, with some alterations for the material benefit" of the patients. Dr France— the medical officer — was the judge as to the benefit. The Superintendent's examination concluded, Mr Edwards said he would recall Mr Whitelaw when it became necessary for the defence. ' Mr Chapman expressed a wish'fe) have Mrs Kettle examined. It was desirable to have the matter of the pay-sheet investigated, and he was given to understand that if the Commission did not consider the question within their scope, the Government would bring the matter before the Chairman. Mr Edwards had not the slightest objection. I The Chairman : Your allegation, supported by evidence, amounts to : this — that Mr Whitelaw has in Some way illtreated Mrs Kettle ? Mr Chapman: At present the. only allegation I have to make is, that he has drawn Mrs Kettle's salary and kept it. '.-.;"■ "'., The Chairman : Well, that is very tad treatment, I should say, if true. To put it plainly, if a man will rob his mother he will rob anybody. (Laughter*) So it will evidently be within the scope of the Commission to enquire into the matter. For Mr Whitelaw's own sake I think it would be better to go on with it. ■ Mr Edwards thought so too, and was quite prepared to meet any such charges. The Chairman : lam very pleased to think so. It was then arranged that Mrs Kettle's evidence should be taken at 2 o'clock on Friday afternoon. Janet Plimmer was next called, and deposed : I am the sister of Mr Henry Anderson, and have a nephew in the Asylum. He came from Wanganui. After being there eight months or so he improved, and became quite intelligent. He then manifested a great wish to get out. Whitelaw demurred, but eventually it was arranged that I should take him to my home for one day for an experiment, and I faithfully promised to bring him back'at nu?ht. The following 1 morning I called for hiin. Whitelaw said, "He won't go." I remarked, ' ' That's all nonsense. Let me see him." He said, "No, he won't see you." I was then obliged to come away. Th« next time I saw him he was a perfect idiot— dead to everything — and is so still, I believe. Cross-examined — Whitelaw told me my nephew was subject to epileptic fits. I never saw him in one. On speaking to Dr France about it, he said a patient suffering from insanity, coupled with epileptic fits, was one of the worst cases.The complainant having obtained summonses to compel the attendance of Mrs Inglis, alias Annie Sturt, and Dr Gallon (resident surgeon of the Wellington Hospital), the Commissioners adadjourned till Friday afternoon, commencing at 2 p'olock. ■