OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 3754, 5 March 1875, Page 2

OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

. ihe Hon. Mr Hastings yesterday forwarded to us the following notes of h's visit to the Industrial School, Benevolent Asylum, Gaol. Lunatic Asylum, and Hospital:— In company with Messrs Stout and Jago I visited some of the public institutions of veur Province on Wednesday, and I have thought it might be a matter of interest to you and your readers to know the impression made by the visit upon a stranger, and one, too, who has had more than ordinary opportunities to be familiar with such institutions, having for many years been a trustee of the State Asylum for the insane, and for several years connected with a Board that has had the oversight of all the general and benevolent institutions of the State in which he resides, numbering from eighty to one hundred. Ihe Industrial School I should judge to be a well managed institution. Everything in and about it appeared neat and .clean. The bedding struck me as being particularly clean and comfortable. The place is too crowded for comfort or health. If yours was an old community, with plenty of means, I should say that it was a disgrace that you had not provided a better schoolroom, dining-room kitchen, etc., but, all things considered, the institution is a credit to your Province and I have no doubt that in due time it will’be enlarged and made in its various appointments I all that can be desired©

T*rru !>«’ than pie iNSTtTDTioif I was more un for» ■ as ®“ Wl th. The provision made fo* the anjr i j classes gathered there is most *■' W®? and reflects great credit upon those 'ho have organised, and who now sustain the Institution. My visit was a very brief one, ana X was unable to notice anything that to call for unfavorable criticism. _. .7° 3 I am sure, is a well managed inution. I cannot say much in praise of the plan upon which it is built: in this I think you are rather behind the times; but the officers 5 l r^ ke tke m ® s t of what they have got, to bo o« H 1 about the building seems to be as neat and clean as it is possible to make

noffis mucll to “ d snStf Asylumn . « in some retl? ent fro “ any mstitution of the have , ev er visited either in my own ji Great Britain. You have 1084 . extensive accommodation for ®, nts ' a ?“ comfortable accommodation too, nf thi e iS° S j &0., of any institution diJ^i 1011(1 1 have ever visited or heard of. I nt know what your buildings have cost, but sure the cost per capita for the number that can be comfortably provided for is vastly less than that of the great majority m. institutions throughout the world, ine patients seemed to be unusually quiet and contented. An unusually large number were engaged in some useful occupation, and the aspect of things, in and around the buildings impressed me-'favorably. I am well aware that impressions formed from such a onet visit as I made to your institutions, yesi® y ;. ma y be quite erroneous, and tiiat a more thorough knowledge of mattere that I could not acquaint myself with might greatly SL 6 I 0? ™ w Jb there are one or two which I think I can speak with conchoice of toe names of your Industrial School and your Benevolent Institution there s the evidence that you hhve those among you who are up to the most advanced ideas in this direction, and who show that they understand tnetact that there is sometimes something very important in the mere matter of the name given to a public institution. In the selection of .the men at toe head of your institutions I tnmk i hazard nothing in saying that you have been exceedingly fortunate; at least I am warranted in making this remark in reference to j. l ve 114(1 an experience in this direction that gives me confidence in expressmg my views, and have no hesitation in saying that so long as Mr Caldwell is at the head of your gaol, and Mr Hume at the head of your Lunatic Asylum, the people will have ho ground to complain of their management, or toe inmates to complain of their treatment. Un the whole your public institutions reflect people* 1^011 wisdom and humanity of your

a or^lds my noticing your Museum and Athemeum, any further than to say that they are both most .valuable and creditable institutions.