THE WELLINGTON LUNATIC ASYLUM ENQUIRY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2477, 26 February 1881, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON LUNATIC ASYLUM ENQUIRY.

[By Telegraph.]

Wellington, Feb. 25.

The Asylum enquiry was proceeded with this afternoon, when some further most extraordinary evidence was given. Mrs Kettle, the mother of MrWhitelaw, who until recently held the jrodtion of matron, swore positively that she had never authorised her son to draw her salary or to sign her name to the receipts. This is in direct contradiction to Mr Whitelaw’s own evidence. Further evidence as to acts of cruelty of a most shocking nature was also adduced. A clerk from the Audit office deposed that in the Audit office they had always believed the signatures to the receipts for Mrs Kettle’s salary to be in Mrs Kettle’s handwriting ; they purported to be such, and it was only upon making enquiries recently that they were found not to have been signed by Mrs Kettle. Relative to the management of the Lunatic Asylum, Dr Gillon gave evidence as an expert, stating that he never knew of any asylum in England, Scotland or Wales, in which there was no resident medical superintendent. Mr Shaw, R.M., detailed to Dr Gillon certain acts of cruelty sworn to in evidence, and which the defence claimed to have been inflicted for sanitary purposes. Dr Gillon, in reply, was very explicit in explaining that in the treatment of lunatics, while restraint and even correction of a certain character were some-times necessary, anything like “ punishment ” in the sense in which it is applied to criminals, was abhorent and contrary to all modern practice. The Court was crowded during the enquiry, and there were frequent murmurs of indignation as the more shocking portions of tM evidence were adduced. Public feeling is thoroughly aroused on the subject. This morning’s “ Times” censures the Government for not suspending Mr

Wliitelaw pending the result of the enquiry, and a letter in to-night’s “ Post,” written by a well known justice of the Peace, protests against Mr Woodward, a visiting officer of the Asylum, and consequently responsible in a degree for its management, sitting on the Commission. lam personally aware that one member of the Ministry—under whose attention Mr Woodward’s anomalous position has been brought by a member of, the House and a strong supporter of the Government—has admitted that a mistake was made in appointing him. The enquiry is exciting public attention to the exclusion of everything else.—“ Lyttelton Times” correspondent.