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Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1929, Page 4

t It will have been noticed in our columns that the Member for Westland (Mr O’Brien) has been referring in the House to the food suppireu ac the Hokitika Mental Hospital. Mr O’Brien mentions that he was informed of the matter “some time ago.” If that be so lie has been rather remiss in not bringing tne matter to .issue earlier. If there were any grounds for complaint Mr O’Brien would have been wise in the interests of all concerned, to have investigated the matter on the spot. As tar as we have been aole to glean, the staff at the locai institution is ready and willing to do all it can in a humane way to assist the patients. Complaints from the unfortunate patients themselves migm in any case be received with some reserve for in their mental state they may be prone to exaggeration. The Minister-iJi-Charge (Mr Stalhvorthy) was able to give Mr O’Brien quite an adequate reply, and in all the circumstances it was not necessary for the Minister to add any assurance as to the desire to treat the patients well. There have been many costly reforms brought in at the local institution entirely in the interests of the patients. That policy and attitude is an earnest of the wishes of the au.horities to do all possible for the welfare of the patients. Every care and attention is given to the physical advancement- of the inmates, and in the matter of food supply, we may be sure there will be nothing stinted that should reasonably, be supplied. The local institution has been fortunate in its choice of superintendents, for with those officials the care of the patients has been the first consideration. The general appearance and upkeep of the institution is evidence of the policy towards the patierlts. It is hardly fair to raise or attempt to raise, false alarms about the care of the inmates unless there is something specific to go . upon. Even with stronger evidence than : Mr O’Brien had before him, it would have been in the interests of all to have privately investigated the matter through the local authoiities, and then if he was not satisfied with the explanation or what he gleaned, he might with greater propriety have gone further in the matter of publicity. The whole trend of the authorities here appears to be to help and assist the inmates in every way to recover, and rood supply must naturally play a part in this respect. It is to us rather unthinkable that i the Department would go to the expense it has in other directions, and then suddenly stint expenditure in the matter of food supply. Mr O’Brien has not acted in this instance in the best interest of those concerned, and it was rather unthinking on his part to raise a false alarm and certainly create a false impression when the facts of the case do not give color to the complaint reused.