The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 768, 6 December 1876, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1876.

So, after all, we are to possess the services of an Inspector of Lunatic Asylums, and Dr. Skae’s appointment —the opposition of a small majority in the House of Hepresentatives to the contrary notwithstanding—has been ratified. It may be recollected that the sum of £7OO, amount of salary voted for that gentleman, was struck off the Estimates by the indecent action of a few rabid oppositionists, and in the face too, of the fact, that such repudiation would involve some £2200 compensation money being absolutely thrown away. It was very much feared at the time that Dr. Skae’s services would have been lost to the colony, and people thought that the Ministry would not be brave enough to make another effort towards capsizing that absurd fit of mistaken economy of the House, by which it saved £7OO at the cost of £2200. The latter sum was made up of the total of three years’ salary, together with travelling expenses, under the agreement entered into by the Government with Dr. Skae, who would be entitled to salary for that period, whether he performed the duties or not. So it looked very much at one time as if the colony would have had the pleasure of paying the money without receiving any benefit in return. Especially certain did this appear when the Supplementary Estimates were found to make provision for this ridiculous compensation. To Mr. Eolleston, it seems, is due the credit of having restored the vote as originally placed on the list by the Government. With a view of remedying this undesirable state of things, Mr. Eolleston—while the House was in Committee on the Supplementary Estimates, moved that the sum of £2200, set down as compensation to the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums, be reduced to £7OO, being the annual sum which had been previously struck off as the aalary of the office. Apparently the resolution was bringing down the vote to a single year’s salary. Carried away by a sense that still further reductions were being made, the obstruntionists gladly supported the motion, which was duly carried. The result, of course, according to Parliamentary usages and precedents became, that_ as the compensation to which, under his agreement with the Ministry, Dr. Skae was entitled, could no longer be paid him, the Government was compelled to place him in a position in which he could not claim it, which practically meant that the vote tor an Inspector’s salary for the year had again become law, having returned into parliamentary appropriation through the skilful tactics of the member for Avon, to whom everybody should indeed feel thankful. The Inspector of Asylums has now entered upon the duties of his appointment as if nothing had happened, the reduction of the amount on the Supplementary Estimates having practically reversed the original decision of the Assembly. Since, Dr. Skae has also been appointed a member of the Central Board of Health at Wellington, in which department he cannot fail to prove of considerable usefulness. Whatever has, from time to time, been argued against the necessity for the office, it must be admitted that, when, owing to the introduction of the Abolition system, the management of the Lunatic Asylums throughout the colony, is in a transition state, the importance of having a qualified and experienced Inspector, to take charge of the new department, cannot be over-estimated. This department will unify every local system in force in each of the old provinces, and, considering the greatly varying degrees of efficiency and management possessed by these Provincial Asylums, it is of the utmost importance that some one thoroughly experienced should control the manner in which those impending changes will be effected. Dr. Skae has brought with him the highest testimonials of skill and experience in the treatment of mental diseases and the management of the insane, and the office could not be better filled. In several of the Provincial Districts, the Asylums are well known to be in a disgraceful condition, crowded, uncomfortable, badly managed, and wanting iu any but the crudest elements of modern curative treatment so essential to success when dealing with the insane. The Canterbury Asylum is certainly a brilliant exception, and the same, to a certain extent, may be said of the Dunedin institution. In Wellington, too, the Asylum compares very favourably with others. Yet, valuable suggestions might be made by the new Inspector, whose fields of labour have but quite recently been in places where the medical treatment of the insane has almost become a science,

Those who have read the news which has appeared in the daily press can hardly have failed to notice the large number of cases of suicide, or attempted suicide, which have been lately recorded. During the last week, if we mistake not, there were not fewer than four or five of such cases reported. And the Australasian of the latest date to hand contains not fewer than six similar cases. These facts are very suggestive. They indicate a large amount of inward suffering and misery ; for such, we believe, must be the case when a man makes an attempt upon his own life. He must feel that from some cause or other his present condition is insupportable. But it is not for the purpose of enforcing this fact that we refer to the subject: it is for the purpose of asking what are the causes at work which tend to bring about this suicidal mania ? For such it certainly is. It recurs with more or less of regularity every year. What are the causes producing this regular recurrence ? In France, we know that one month of the year—November—is called the black month, from the prevalence of suicides during its period—-self-murders being more numerous in that month than in all the rest of the year besides. But this is attributable to the dark, gloomy state of the atmosphere ; and is regarded as evidence of the close connexion existing between the weather and our states of mind. But the weather cannot be assigned for the cause of acts of selfmurder among ourselves at this season. For we are passing through no black month, but the pleasantest of spring and summer weather. There are three main causes usually assigned for these rash acts—disappointment in love, excessive drinking, and pecuniary difficulties. Of the two former causes we need say but little. They are constant in their operation all the year round, and they do not produce many suicidal acts, although they are responsible for some rash deeds. The latter cause—pecuniary difficulties—is responsible for the larger number of such cases. But why should its operation be confined to this season of the year ? People are in pecuniary difficulties all the year around, it is to be feared. Why these troubles should culminate in this terrible way just about this season is a perplexing There is one which we suggest, with all diffidence, in reply. Is there any connection between this culmination and the Spring Meeting? One gentleman, whose case is reported in the Australasian , had evidently expected the race week to free him fromtf his financial embarrassments, and, this failing, he took the terrible step of self-murder. May there not be a too intimate connection between the race week, with its gambling transactions, and the cowardly act, which deprives a human being of his life, and a family of its chief means of support? We remit the question for the consideration of some of out numerous readers.