THE ASYLUM INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 7

THE ASYLUM INQUIRY.

HEARING CONCLUDED. DR. HAY ON FUTURE CHANGES (By IWesraph—Pr«e« Association.) Chrlstohurch, October 10. At tho Sumiysido inquiry to-day counsel and Mr. T. H. Davey, M.P., addressed tho commissioner at length, Mr. Stringer, K.C., (for the defendant). said tiut tho Department had, in connection with the specific charges, ■remained entirely neutral. It had, howover, ' token ovory precaution to provent abuses arising in tho institution. Elaborate rulus and regulations had boon laid down for tho guidance of tho attendants and staff, and tho Department had aiso 1 ordered/ that tho contracts for food, clothing, and bedding, should be stipulated for the best quality. Skilled and exporiencod ofkeera had been solected to seo that these rules wore carried out. Tho Department fully concurred with what Dr. Gow had. said as •to accommodation at tho hospital. This discovery, however, was not a new one, and as far back as 1908, tho then Inspector-General (Dr. M'Grcgor) B et out what was required, and that was exactly. what was being asked for to-day., In. 1908 the present Inspector-General had also pointed out that more accommodation was required at Sunnysido, in order that proper classification might be carried out. The lack of accommodation had constantly been brought before tho notice of tho Department, and that lack had prevented proper classification, a proper reception ward, and a proper infirmary ward. Sunnyside also laboured under difficulties by reason of the original defects of tho building, but considering those defects tho staff had done splendidly. Dr. Hay, Inspetotor-Genoral, who spoke by permission of the commissioner, said that the proportion of medical officers to patientß in the Old Country was ono to 400 —not ono. to 300, as had boon asserted. It was ! stated that the Department had already decided to appoint another medical officer for Sunnyside,' and it was also proposed to appoint two matrons, and two head attendants at each of the places, so that the wards would always do under proper control. That, he considered, would be a big thing. In reply to Mr. Davey Dr. Hay said that tho Department was very careful as to what payment was mado by the relatives of a pationt.' Nearest relatives were approached first and asked to state what thoy could contribute, end in most cases, what was offorod •was accepted. Tho accounts were then sont out in tho usual course, nnd, as ■ far as possiblo, action through the Court was avoided. Tho Department was not hard on relatives. The medical superintendent of an institution did not know what the relatives of any patient contributed. Continuing, Dr. Hay said that qualification for discharge was the fitness oi a patient in the opinion of a person qualified to grant a discharge. Subsection 12 of tho Act was a guide, and it showed that it was not necessary that absolute recovery was tho only qualification for discharge. In Tribe's case his dotention was no longer necessary. The certificate of deatfi, as given by Dr. Orchard, could havo been given by the hospital dootorB, : and'thero was no reason for an inquest, as death was due to natural causes. Tho wliole epirit of the Act was to facilitate, discharge. Only a few post-mortem examinations had over- ' .been • ordered. Generally,, post-mortems were held to verify the diagnosis. It had been found in New Zealand, as in England, that , the montally infirm wore sent to ■a hospital where the Government, had "to keep them, instead of to an old people's homo, where tho .local rate'payers had to, keep them. Tho object of bringing this class of patient into the Act was to build a separate institution i')r them. Regarding general accommodation for mental patients, Dr. Hay said that two new buildings were to bo erected at Auckland, but difficulty over the site had led to delay. At Tapanui a new block of buildings was .to bo erocted, and at Porirua an admission place and a hospital was contemplated. At Se&cliff an admission place for men, and a place for fifty women, of tho turbulent class were proposed. Improvements wore also to De carried out at Waitati, near SsaclifF. He anticipated no difficulty in getting the money for people oven before this Inquiry was tela realised their responsibilities in tho : matter of providing for • paufent3 sont to mental hospitals. The Commissioner said that all he could do regarding costs in this type of inquiry was to make a recommendation. He could not mako an ordor as to costs, He wisled tirlhank counsel nnd also Mr. Davey for tho assistance given him, and would say that he woffid mako,his report to the* Government as speedily as possiblo. Tho inquiry then closed. \