WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 25 March 1908, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(Special to “Times”) WELLINGTON, March 24. Stock exchange sales were.—Sharlaiuls 18s 9d; Talisman £2 11s 9d; Ngatiawas Is 10Jd- , . Quite a number of Departmental offices here arc now in buildings owned by private persons, and in some cases very high rents are being paid. A correspondent of the evening paper asserts that the Government is “fair game” in the matter, the rente in. some cases being unnecessarily high, while there is also a deplorable wasto of room. Complaints are very prevalent regarding tho inadequacy of the city gas supply, and the feeling in favor of municipalisation is gaining. The Gas Company evidently has not risen to tho increased requirements of the city and suburbs, and seems to be attempting too much with the plant at its disposal. At any rate, the the pressure at times is very poor, and tho Alayor i.s working in the direction of acquiring the company’s works for the city. Air. Kingsland, who arrived by the Alaitai recently, lias had large interests in the Argentine frozen meat trade. “The Argentine,” lie says, “must always be a formidable rival of New Zealand in the Home markets.” “The country,” lie says, “is peaceful, no doubt owing to the enormous amount of British and foreign capital invested in its enterprises and industries. England ha vug £2,000,000 ill the railways alone.” Americans are, however, making a big bid for the trade, and recently bought the company with which Air Kingsland was identified, retaining him until a few months ago as advisory director. The Labor Department has ordered not to engage any more men for the North Island Alain Trunk Railway, or tho Stratford railway works. The long spell of dry, warm weather this summer, has been bad for the local coal dealers. The .southerly “blister” lias, however, made them all remarkably busy. The pressure of arbitration awards all over New Zealand is forcing the formation of rings and combines, the object of which is to make two men do the work hitherto performed bv three. 11l Alasterton at the present time, says the AA’airarapa “Times”, “wo know that such combines are under consideration, and in one trade alone the proposed combine means dispensing with the services of twenty or more workers, who are perhaps all unconscious that their occupation is likely to be cut from under their feet.” Sir AATn. Russell lias not done with politics yet, lie has definitely decided to be candidate for the Hawkes Bay seat at next election. Mr billions chances of re-election are said to be very poor. It will be remembered that he displaced Sir A\ m. Russell at the last election. Amongst the deer-Stalkers to arrive here shortly will be Captain A r on Grunsbus of Frankfort-on- 1 Alain. Dr. 11. E. Jeffreys, assistant medical supervisor at the mental fori in.i hospital, returned to AYellmgton by the Mamari from England to-dav. During his absence lie took the At.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. Diplomas, and enquired into tlie working ot mental, hospitals in England. At King’s College hospital ho was operated on by Mr Carles, a wellknown surgeon. Speaking on the funeral working of mental hospitals To a- “Post” reporter, Dr Jeffreys said, that well paid commissioners, one a. lawyer, and the other a medical man, visited every patient once a year. Each institution bad its own committee, which saw to patients about to be discharged, l'irst of all, the patients had to be recommended by the medical .superintendent, and then passed by the committee The method of treating the mentally afflicted was much the same in New Zealand as in London. At one time at Home, patients were treated badly, put in irons, and straps, and so on, but the public made such an outcry against the treatment that tho pendulum has been swung round in the opposite direction. The Home authorities have a strong objection to “mechanical restraint” (which is'the technical term for strong rooms, strait jackets, etc.), and even carry their objection to an extreme. In one ease an unfortunate young girl literally tore her hair out by the roots. AA lien first the doctor saw her she had a beautiful coil of hair, and when ho saw her again she was almost bald, and had a pair of thick gloves been fastened on her this would have been prevented. Since the abolition of the simplest methods of mechanical restraint, such as adiusting a pair of gloves, the staff of attendants to watcli ami „uard the patients has been increased but with alt their vigilance they cannot prevent patients injuring themselves on some occasions.