Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1192, 8 December 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1871.

One of the most important of the Parliamentary Papers received by the last mail is the " Eeport of the Joint Committee on Lunatic Asylums." It is not so yoluminous as some of the other committee reports —as for instance that on the working and management of the electric telegraph department,—yet the minutes of evidence, including papers read before the commiti.ee, cover some 17 pages of foolscap. The revelations made by some of the gentlemen examined are of a startling character, and disclose some horrible details of management, especially in relation to the asylum of Karori, in the Province of "Wellington. We sincerely trust that this report will bear fruit in the direction pointed out by the committee, and not be allowed to become abortive through the abundance of other matter pressing on the attention of the Govern merit.

Evidence relating to the management pf the Karoii asylum was given by Dr. Johnston, who had its charge eight years ago ; by Dr. France, its present medical attendant; and by the hon. Dr. firace, who has had a patient there. Tliere is also a report pf a visit of inspection to the asylum by the chairman pf the. committee, from all of which we learn that the asylum, is badly situated, surrounded by high walls and not affording any cheerful prospect or mearns gf relaxation to the inmates ; also that

it is too far. removed and difficult of access to the ffiends of patients and visitors. It is overcrowded, there being 23 inmates, and only proper accommodation for 12. It contains no bath-room or proper convenience for washing. Those who destroy their shoes are made to go without, and those of them who destroy their clothing are locked up naked, The Chairman had himself seen a female patient in this pad state, and the lion. Dr. Grace tells of one who was kept in this degrading condition for three weeks' time.

It is lemarkable that in spite of all this this patient recovered, and is now a wife and mother, settled in life. Dr. Grace says that under more favorable circumstances her recovery would have been more rapid, and that it was simply be cause it was impossible to treat her judiciously that she became so bad. The only wonder to us is that :rhe ever recovered at all.

The evidence brought before i he committee is against having but one institution for the whole Colony. It, however, shows the need of a central institution for incurable patient-, to relieve the pressure on the space caused by the crowding of the local institutions. The advantages of local establishments are, facility of intercourse with friends (which is found to exert a most beneficial effect on the patient); the avoidance of the expense and danger of sending curable cases and attendants to a distance from their homes; and the more complete supervision and attention that can be paid to each individual case when the number is small, than is otherwise possible.

Local Governments, however, should not have the control even of the local institutions, on account of the temptation existing in such cases for the diversion of the funds that should be devoted to the efficient government of these places to other pressing purposes. There are other asylums in the Colony besides that at Karori, as at Nelson, Auckland, Canterbury, and Dunedin, and although the faults to be found with these are not of so palpable a nature as in the oth.'r instance, they are so many and so great as to necessitate a thorough reform of management, including the adoption of remedial measures. At present the remark- of the Chairman of the committee applies with more or less force to them all: "The patients are only kept like so many animals might be kept, in order to prevent them from injuring the rest of the community." It may not be generally known, but Dr. Grace states it to be the fact that insanity is much more common in this country than it i§ at home. In his opinion this is occasioned by "the limited range of sympathy which the isolation of individuals and families in the countrv gives rise to ; also on account of the oppressive loneliness which many new comers experience even in our crowded towns"; likewise the depression actual experience causes when contrasted with the extravagant expectations many immigrants have held. The excitement, hardship, and exposure of the golddiggings also tends' to add its quota to the ratio of lunatics in the Colonies over that of the mother country.