WELLINGTON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3059, 16 April 1881, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

April 16

The report on the Wellington Lunatic Asylum was presented on Thursday. The Commissioners find the charges proved against Superintendent Whitelaw as to his being a man ot a violent and tyrannical temper, quite unfitting him for the position; of having treated several patients with unnecessary and unmerciful violence and severity; of visiting tbe tbe female wards alone, but with no bad motive; of putting paying patients to menial labour, and other things. The charge of violence against a male attendant is not absolutely proved. The Commissioners consider Dr. Skae acted most improperly in appointing Mr Whitelaw, and entirely neglected to perform his duties as inspector, through which neglect one patient had been subjected to seven months unjustifiable torture. The report condemns Dr. France for confining himself simply to curing the physical ailments of patients, and making no attempt to cure mental maladies. They say Miss Brigdon discharged her duties fairly, and the female attendants were kind and good. The Commissioners find no palliations for Whitelaw's teatment of his mother, and refuse to believe his explanation. They condemn the buildings as unsuitable; it is a place of custody and nothing more, the back-yard for violent patients being a prison furnished with appliances for punishment. They consider a new Act needed, and censure the present system as well as the men. They compliment Mr J. H. Shaw the complainant, on bis conduct.

Whitelaw, late Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, has just been arrested on an information laid under, the Lunacy Act for cruelty to a patient named M'lntosh, as stated in the Commissioner's report.