South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY. MAY 7, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2536, 7 May 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY. MAY 7, 1881.

The Wellington correspondent of the Christchurch “ Press ” states that the majority of Ministers are opposed to Dr Skae being forced to resign his position as Inspector of Lunatic Asylums. The statement is probably correct, as it is well known that the correspondent referred to is in the confidence of the Government. After the report of the Commissioners Dr Skae should not have been allowed to retain his position for a single day. It is hard to understand how the Ministry can justify their conduct in this matter. After the enquiry the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums was called upon for an explanation, which he furnished the Government. It has been stated that his defence was neither full nor satisfactory. We see no substantial reason for Dr Skae being asked to explain away his shameful neglect. A searching inquiry had already taken place in regard to the management of the Wellington Lunatic Asylum, and Dr Skae was examined at length. He was not taken by surprise. The scandal in connection with the Asylum had been the talk of Wellington for weeks. At the enquiry it might be naturally expected that the: Inspector urged everything that waft in feror of himself. That amounted

o very little. If over a man should be condemned by the words out ol his own mouth, that man is Dr Skae, who is now -retained in a responsible position in defiance of the public opinion of the colony. There is; scarcely a journal in the country which has : not, denounced in unmeasured terms the inhuman treatment of the lunatics, and which has not laid the chief blame upon Dr Skae. He was a resident of Wellington, and was perfectly cognisant of the internal working of the Asylum, and although he stated in his evidence that he was aware of abuses he took no action to have those abuses removed. It appears that this imported Inspector deemed that his sole duty was to draw his. salary. The manner in which Whitelaw was appointed showed that Dr Skae was wanting in a true conception of his duties to the most afflicted of mankind. It is not known what.particular influence led to the selection of Dr Skae as Inspector of Lunatic Asylums in this colony. He came out here with a great flourish of trumpets as an expert of high standing in the Old Country. His most distinguishing qualification turned out to be of a purely negative character —a non-interference policy. To revert to Whitelaw. At the time of his appointment, it was never hinted that lie had no experience in the management of lunatics. People never for a moment deemed that Mr Inspector Skae would select as superintendent of an Asylum a man who had no knowledge whatever of the special duties to be entrusted to him. A simple scrap of paper did the business. Whitelaw had been in some inferior capacity in the service of Lord Kinnaird, and brought with him a recommendation from that nobleman to the Marquis of Normanby. The Governor brought him under the notice of Dr Skae, and the latter handed over to him the control of the Wellington Lunatic Asylum, containing three hundred human beings who,- above all others, required the utmost tact, watchfulness, and kindness. Had the Marquis of Normanby wanted a coachman at the time of Whitelaw’s arrival, the colony would probably have been spared the recent shocking disclosures. The appointment of Whitelaw was the most shameful piece of toadyism which has ever been brought to light in this colony. There must be some influence behind the scenes whicli induced the Ministry to retain Dr Skae in office. The fact of the matter is that it is a most difficult matter to reach the higher class of officials, A subordinate railway official, or a clerk with £l5O a year, can easily be disposed of if he fails in his duty, and that, too, with little ceremony and less compensation. But it is a different thing with the upper grades of the Civil Service. Parliament will meet in a few weeks, and if the Ministry do not take action in the meantime it may be safely assumed that the matter will not be allowed to rest. The KinnairdNormanby -incident shews that Dr Skae. like Sir Pertinax Mac Sycophant, can “ boo, and boo, and boo ” to his superiors, but with all his “ booin’ ” he will have to give place to a better and more capable man.