HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1924, Page 4

HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS

LARI'. XEEDKD IN sklkction. AUCKLAND. September 20. The appointment of attendants at the Auckland Mental Hospital was the subject of comment at the Magistrate's Court in connexion with a ease in which an attendant was charged with having assaulted an inmate of the institution. It transpired that the man charged had been hefote the Court previously.

The Medical Superintendent of the Mental Hospital, Or. IJeattie. when Hiving evidence was questioned hy the Magistrate (Mr Boynton) as to who made enquiries cneerniiiH the character and antecedents of the applicants tor the position of attendant. |)r. Jlraltie replied Unit in the majority of eases there was no doubt cos to the bona lidos of the applicants, hut that in in'i iwd's case lie had produced

good references. Air Boynton: 1 remember it ease in which a. man produced live testimonials whit h implied that ho was an angel, "hill lint 12 months before lie Itntl .served :i seiiteme for theft of benzine.

Dr. Beattie: They came to 1110 with fa Is; names and false testimonials: that is tii" trouble. This Magistrate Mi goes toil Hint in future the previous history of these aj; fyiug lor a position should he fully invc-stiguled by llio police, if necessary, and l)r. Beattio ajjiocd Unit attention might be drawn to the mailer.

At 11 later stage Mr Allan Moody, who up; eared for accused, asserted that there was a. lamentable lack ol system at the hospital. This, he said, had been evidenced by the I net that accused had been | laced in charge of a large numher of mentally delcetive I arsons directly after his appointriienl, although he had had no previous exj eriettee. lie* co'tisidctvd that then* it as no system adopted to get. the light kin.l of men to i arry out the world. Dr Beattie and his stall' were not to blame*, ini.l they were as capable as any mcdiial .stall' in New Zealand. All* Poyntun; lam nitre that Dr. Beattie does his best to get the light scut of men. The dilliriilly is in getting suitable ::.t tiouhiut's. ft is not every person who "ill undertake such work. ( hie*f-Di*le; tive Cummings said tin* trouble was in iioino eases that men gave assumed names as aeettsed had clone.