SUNNYSIDE ASYLUM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1556, 22 February 1887, Page 3

SUNNYSIDE ASYLUM.

On Saturday last the Hon. Sir Robert St r mt performed the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new centr'd block of buildings at Sunnyside Asylum, a large and representative gathering of public men being present. Tha stone, a large block, bore

i he following inscription This foundation stone was laid by the Hon. Sir Rober' Stout, K.O.M.G , Premier of New Zealand, 19th Feb,, 1887,” and under it were placed copies of the Christchurch and Dunedin papers. In laying the stono Sir Robert Stout referred to the treatment of the insane at different times It had been pointed out hy Dr Tuke that were three kinds of treatment for mental diseases, viz,, the barbaric, the humane, and the remedial. Even so late as 1850 in Europe, in many places, not only did the humane treatment exist, but also the barbaric. Now they had adopted the remedial, and he was glad to say that here, as well as elsewhere, numbers had been restored to their relatives cured, and he thought that, instead of calling these institutions asylums, they should more properly be called hospitals, because those mentally diseased were hero cured, as those who were physically afflicted were elsewhere. They had the building before them as an evidence that here they had recognised that it was the duty of the Government to look after the poor and afflicted of the community. He took it that they learnt several lessons from the ceremony of that day. They learnt that they had a responsibility not only as relatives and friends, but responsibilities as a community, to look after waifs and strays of humanity, in their fulness and wealth to see that they did not suffer. Many, no doubt, were in the building close by from drink, from their own indulgence, or from the vices of their ancestors, and from this last they learnt the lesson that crime, even unto the third or fourth generation, was surely punished. At the conclusion of a very earnest speech S v Robert was greatly applauded and Mr Deay, the contractor, then, after thanking him for laying the atone, presented him with a memento of the occasion in the shape of little pendant, which the speaker said* could either be worn by Sir Robert as a watch pendant or by Lady Stout as a brooch. The pendant is of oval shape with a circle of leaves surrounding a centre of enamel, on which is a gold compass and square, At the back is the inscription, Presented to Sir B. Stout, K.C.M.G., Premier of New Zealand, on the occasion of his laying the foundat on stone of the central block of buildings, Sunnyside Asylum, Feb, 19, 1887. P. Dey, Contractor," Sir Robert having acknowledged the gift, an adjournment was made to the luncheon, to wliich about 100 sat down. Among the toasts given and responded to were the usual loyal ones, “ His Excellency the Governor and the Legislative Council,” “ Ths Premier and Executive," and “The House of Representatives.” To the latter th* names of the Hon. W. Rolleston as the oldest, and of Mr J. Jones as the youngest, members of the House, were attached. In replying the Hon. W. Uolle ton said he was proud to be a member of a body which during its whole career contemporaneously witli largo borrowing and spending ~ had not forgotten the social needs of the people of the colony, They had an education system second to none in the world, and their asylums, prisons, and other public institutions were evidences that the representatives of tha people in New Zealand had been in earnest in maintaining the social instincts of the people, The pile of buildings they were about to erect showed the desire of the province to maintain the building as a credit to tha colony. In Canterbury lhuy()ud spent thousands of pounds on'their Museum, their High Schools, and other buildings of a like character, to meet the social requirements of the country. As regarded the cere-, rnony of that day, he was in some «ense the missing link between the past and present. It was while he had the honor to preside over ti )e province that the Provincial Council of Canterbury decided to commence those buildings, the copingstone as't were of which had been laid that day by Sir R, Stout, The speaker paid some very high complim en t ß t° Mr Seag'-r, who had been connected with the institution from its establishment, and hoped that work such as Sir Robert Stout had been engaged in that day would never be forgotten in the race for wealth,