LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1000, 19 September 1903, Page 2

LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

374 INMATES SUFFER SIMPLY FROM OLD AGE. Per Press Association. Wellington, last night.

The House met at 2.80 and went into Commiueo-of-Supply for further consideration of the Estimates. The first class taken was that of Lunacy and Charitable Department. A lengthy discussion took place on the question of lunatic asylum reform. Replying to various points raised, Mr Hall-Joues said he was already making enquiries on tho subject of classification of inmates, and had ascertained that in the various asylums there was confined 374 persons who were suffering simply from old age and were practically harmless, while there were 143 imbeciles and idiots. Ho was determined to have these 517 people out of the asylums and put into other establishments. He was considering the question of remodelling the Jaw relating to the commitment of lunatics, aud he was endeavoring to make the relatives of a certain ciass of people now in the asylums take a fail share of their responsibilities. With regard to the second class he had previously mentioned, he was making enquiries for a building lo which they could bo removed without waiting for the erection of a new building. Ir be was unsuccessful iu his scare.i ho wouid select a site and erect a building. As to his future policy he did not believe in large asylums, but in a series of smaller detached buildings, in which classification could be carried out. One portion of the building should be devoted exclusively to the reception of new patients, and there should also be wards at the to which patients could be sent before being drafted to the various asylums. The term asylums would in future bo abolished and the institutions called hospitals for mental diseases. He iuienued to try the experiment of women doctors iu the female wards of the hospitals, and he would have careful inquiry made into the cause of the increase iu lunacy which had taken place i of late years. He hoped that by next session members would see very great im- i provements effected. 1