H.~No.- i6,

UPON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

9

Son. Dr. Grave.

The Hon. Dr. Grace in attendance. The Hon. Dr. Grace read a report on the subject under the investigation of the Committee, in reply to letter from the Chairman, asking for a report on the frequency and nature of lunacy in the Colouy, and the respective advantages of local general asylums. 157. The Chairman.] Of course our object is to endeavour to make out such a case as to convince the General Government of the necessity of assisting to put Lunatic Asylums in a much better condition than they now are. We want evidence for that. I think you told me yesterday you had been to Karori, and had seen a patient there who had been locked up for a week in a state of nudity ?— I saw a female patient of my own who had a species of hysterical mania. She was confined for a period of three' weeks perfectly naked in a cell. She was in the habit of daily smearing herself with her fceces. There was no proper accommodation ;no means or facilities for the treatment of that woman. lam sure that if she could have been dealt gently with, her recovery would have been much more rapid, and her condition never would have been so degrading. She knew me at once, and remembered the circumstances of our former acqaintanceship. In spite of all the adverse circumstances, she subsequently recovered. She is now a married woman, and settled in life, and has two or three children. In the case of that woman it was simply because it was impossible in such a place to treat her judiciously that she became so bad. Mr. Thomas A. Bowden in attendance. 15S. The Chairman.] I think you are the Inspector at tho Karori Asylum ? I have been a kind of honorary Inspector for the last twelve months. 159. Mr. Andreiv.] Do you mean by "honorary" without salary ? Tes, the institution at Karori is the only one I inspect, as it is the only one in the Province of Wellington. 160. The Chairman.] Do you inspect gaols and hospitals also? My duties are confined to the Asylum at Karori, and my instructions were to inspect that one. 101. Have you been in the habit of going there at stated times ? The Act requires that I should visit each institution quarterly; but I have visited more frequently than that, because I felt it necessary that I should do so, in order to acquaint myself with the condition of the buildings and state of the inmates. 162. When you pay your visit, do you put your name in a book ? Tes, a set of books are provided in accordance with the Act, and I am careful to see that they have been kept. 163. That is not in the ordinary visitors' book ? No, there is a book specially for the Inspector, and a set of books for the medical officer and keeper to make entries in. Such entries havo been duly made. 164. How long have you been Inspector ? A little more than a year. 165. How many times, do you think, you have been there' ? Six or eight. 166. What has been your impression as to the state of the iYsylum ? I have reported fully oh the Asylum, as the Act instructs tho luspector to do. If my report was before the Committee it would give nearly all the information I can furnish. 167. Has your report been printed ? I forwarded it to the Provincial Secretary for the purpose of being printed. Ido not know whether it has been printed. 168. Perhaps you would give the Committee some idea of its contents ? The Report was drawn out in January last, and there have been some changes since that time. I have not visited the institution since those changes were made. [Witness read extracts from memoranda from which report was compiled.] 169. The Hon. Captain Fraser.] When were you there last ? In July. 170. When was the last patient admitted there ? 1 do not know, I have not visited the Asylum since July. I may mention, in justification of what may appear on my part an omission, that I found that the duties interfered so much with my other avocations, that I resigned the appointment about three months ago. It may not be convenient to the Provincial Government to appoint anyone else at the time, and I continue to act until the end of the present month, and then I consider myself freed from all further obligation. 171. The Chairman.] Tou are not aware that a patient was admitted two days ago ? I should not be aware of it unless 1 went out to the institution and gathered the information from the cook. 172. The Hoiu Captain Fraser.] Are not the certificates submitted to you ? Tes ; when Igo out there I endorse them, if I find them according to the 10th and 11th Schedules of the Act. 173. But if irregular ? I require them to be corrected. 174. Mr. Andrew.] Had you any special experience of Lunatic Asylums beforeyouwere appointed to the Inspectorship ? No more nor less than an ordinary person would have—nothing special. The office was not sought by me. I accepted it at the request of the Deputy Superintendent. (The witness then withdrew.) t f " 3