WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3897, 20 August 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph.] {From our own Cotrespondeni.)

Wellington, August 20. _ Mr Macgregor, in his report on (he Dunedin Lunatic Asylum, complains greatly that in spite of repeated warnings the Corporation has made no provision for carrying off the Asylum sewage, '('he whole place is thoroughly saturated with odor, and wants but a spark of contagion to become a hotbed of typhoid disease. He refers to there being no water supply, and inquires if the Council is speculating on the chances of getting rid of all the lunatics at one blow by moans of one vast holocaust. The report proceeds“ Bearing in mind that the Asylum has grown with the growth of the Province, it is not surprising that its present state is a reflex of the varying fortunes of the Provincial Treasury. It is a labyrinth in plan and generally unsuitable ; in fact it is essentially temporary in character and intention. Nothing will perhaps convey so good an idea of it as comparing it to a two-roomed cottage, to which a vigorous young couple came home after getting married, the rapidly arriving babies being accommodated in additional rooms hurriedly improvised for their reception. Considering all that this implies, it is quite astonishing what degree of comfort the patients enjoy, and how satisfactory the results are when compared with

those ®! similar institutions elsewhere. Taking tbe returns of Her Majesty’s Commissioners it lunacy for the years 1859 to 1872, I find the average of recoveries per 100 admissions i 33.95. Since the opening of the asylum in 1803 to the present time the average has been much higher, being 61.9 per 100 admissions This is a very singular fact, and one which de manus some explanation, though as yet I an not able to furnish it adequately. Many thing? have to be considered in dealing with a result so complex and apparently anomalous, even hj it does not requite careful sifting in various re spects. One thing at any rate is clear that on. asylum is successful, however much allowance is made for altered circumstances and select ;d population. The Provincial Government at ede termined to attach to the asylum a large farm in the Blueskin district, ami the effects ol this cannot fail to be beneficial in many ways, and chiefly in two main respects : the asylum will be rendered nearly self-supporting, and dr curative efficiency will be greatly increased I believe the success of our asylum is largely due, among other things, to the extent to which Or Kuimo and Mr Hume have availed themselves of regular employment ns a mcnr.s of cure. Nothing is more mischievous, nest t actual restraint, than that lunatics strong and in the prime of life should be allowed to stroll about all day in pleasure grounds indulging in aimless brooding and morbid fancies. Merc walking exercise, be it ever so regularly taken, has comparatively little effect in checking thh evil. In the case of women the matter is still worse, and this I take to be the greatest defer; in our mode of treating them. All, except a few who can be regularly employed in "-ashing, scrubbing, and cooking, are usually employed in sewing—ono of the most automatic of ol) employments, and which leaves the mind free to roam. May not much that is chanctevistic of woman generally be traced to the fact th d sewing and other kindred avocations are so admirably calculated to leave the wandering fancy free ? Dr Hulmo has very fervidly called attention to the disproportionate increase in the number of nv.r lunatics, due to the inferior character of the recent immigrants. Formerly, we reaped all the benefits of the fact that advancing communities attract the more energetic and pushing members of retrogade communities and employments, while the weak and lunatic ate left behind, where they prog,agate and raise the average of pauperism, lunacy, and crime There is every reason to fear that our leccnt policy has, with lamentably rapidity, greatly altered if not entirely reversed this state of things. The heaviest part of our Immigration expenditure has yet to become apparent, but we shall do well to look to our schools, our hospitals, and our asylums. Not merely may we expect our lunatics and criminals to multiply at an unprecedented rate, but even our types of lunacy will change. Instead of ac quired, and therefore largely curable insanity, the case with selccled, active and enterprising people, we may expect a number of idiots and imbeciles the outcome of long continued povertyigaorar.ee, and a low degree of development.

Apropos of Wednesday’s short discussion re Native Lands the ‘N.Z. Times ’ tells the following, illustrative of Sir George Grey’s extraordinary promises, v/hich are so far above the level of their subject as to combine the sublime with the ridiculous Yesterday morning the distinguished gentleman under notice waited upon the head of the Government and said : ‘ In consequence of the action of Ministers in shelving my motion regarding confiscated lands I shall make such revelations as will astonish the Colony and shock the Empire.’ The head of the Government was equal to the occasion. He smiled with that beaming sweetness which is said ever to characterise him, and replied, washing his hands with invisible soap the while, ‘ Well, George, I trust the Empire and I may survive the shock,’ ” Yesterday’s debate opened up a little new ground. Mr Reid’s speech was telling, but was wholly a review of his administration of Otago affairs.

Yesterday’s debate, which lasted till midnight, was well sustained throughout, Mr Stafford, through speaking without notes, overlooked many points he had intended to refer to, still his speech was most brilliant. He was fearfully severe on Sir George Grey. The strong part of his speech was when he declared that the result of his judgment after 20 years’ careful watching and [official experience was that abolition was essential to the creation of a healthy public opinion and to the good government and progress of the Colony. Mr Reeves fairly flayed Sir Cracro/t Wilson for the manner in which he attacked Mr Moorhouse and Mr Macandrew, and repeated cheers showed that the House considered the castigation well-merited, Mr Eitzherbert does not speak till Tuesday. He and Sir George will address a meeting at the Hutt on Saturday.

2.55 p.m. Mr Wales, in consequence of an article in the Otago ‘Daily Times,’ of the 16th inst., asked the question whether section ten of the Abolition Bill will divert Education and other reserves from the purposes for which they were set apart ? The Colonial Treasurer replied that it was not intended to divert the reserves from th-ir original purpose, and that the Government would agree to any amendment in the clause if such was required to make it more specific. Mr Fitzherbert speaks to-night, and Mr Macandrew moves for an adjournment. It is arranged that the division shall take place on Thursday next.