MENTAL HOSPITAL DISGRACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1921, Page 5

MENTAL HOSPITAL DISGRACE.

APPALLING CONDITIONS REVEALED USE OF AN OLD GAOL. By Telegraph —Press AssoJation. Christchurch, July 29 “I am not exaggerating when I saj ihat the mental hospital at Hokitika is a disgrace to a civilised community,” Bishop Julius said to-day “The men are sheltered al) night in the old gaol, which is alongside the mental hospital, and which, on account oi the overcrowding of the mental hog >ital, was attached to it. The old gaol alwayr was an bominable hole, cola, dirty an<i

dark. In the day time tho men art crowded into t fair sized rwm, but ther< is no possible classification of them.

“The women are in a still worse case Their sanitation, dwallipg-rocwp anc yards, apart from their cleanlinas« which the members of the i taff try t< maintain. are shocking, abaolutelj shocking.

“The site, on the hill above the borough, could not be surpassed, hut thd use made of that advantage is disgraceful. The institution is on the we&t. c.rast, and is out. of sight and out of mind. Only those who are in it, those who associated with its work, and a few ers, know of the condition. I visited ifi when I was on the w’e .t c <ast tnis week, !l wish oriier vieitoi" to the west eoasC would see it also. If they did they would. I support the appeal I now mske for an I improvement or for a public remonstrance. ’’

Bishop Jul-us spoke highly of t’-e members of the staff. wh< - he «aid, did their best under impossible conditions.