CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1926, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

OF PUBLIC INTEREST. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It appears that in order to give tho patients at the Hokitika Mental Hospital a better chance of recovery all restriction on their movements in the way of fences have been removed. No doubt tbe object of this removal is a laudable one but there is another side to the question and those in authority should remember that the purpose of these institutions is twofold—for the benefit of the mentally afflicted and also for tho benefit of tbe public. I

A large amount of money has been and is being spent on this institution and tlie public are not getting the benefit of it as it is becoming quite a common occurrence for patients to escape from the institution. They have only to evade the keepers and onoo they do that there is apparently nothing to prevent them leaving the institution as they please. At the present time one patient reputed to have dangerous criminal tendencies is at large fur the third time within a few months and although lie left the institution about a week ago lie has not yet been found. It is, to ■ay the least, most unpleasant for the residents of this locality and especially lor women left alone in a lonely neighbourhood to know tliat such a man is likely to pay them a visit tit any time and I submit tliat. if the autlioritie.s wish to try experiments of fbig nature, they should at least select a more suitable site for tlio experiment. I am. etc.. A RESIDENT.