AMAZING LETTERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17131, 29 August 1923, Page 1

AMAZING LETTERS.

LIFE IN SUNNYSIDE. PATHOS AND HUMOUR AMONG THE INSANE. A remarkable collection of letters written by a Christchurch resident daring a period of nine weeks that he was a patient in the fSunnysid© Mental Hospital. have been handed by the writer to the “ Star ” for publication. As the letters give an interesting picture of life in the institution, as seen by one of the patients, the “ Star ” is pxiblishing extracts from them. TV. Sunnyside Mental Hospital y ‘August 13. A STORY' OS* DOMESTIC STRIFE. A few weeks ago I wa« on the verge of taking a t rip to your much-malign - cd city, hut there’s many a slip “ twixt the ” etc. You perhaps are astonished at the address preceding this letter. .Well, it's a long story of domestic strife at ; then a “guerilla” warfare ; then a legal attempt to evict me

and finally • a successful attempt to place me in the “ rat house ” as “ mentally defective.” It’s hard to realise one’s being detained here, whilst so many real idiots are “ at large.” The push threatened to have me examined. I said. “Go ahead with it as I’m always prepared to sit for examination of that kind.” A cut and dried programme and conspiracy led to a heavyweight constable calling at ——and telling me that I had to appear before the Magistrate at ten o’clock. T asked him then for unnecessary proof of his Identity and to state the charge and produce his warrant. He then read how he. had to apprehend me, etc, etc. I didn t become excited, although T became rather anxious as to the forthcoming verdict. AT THE COURT, t He tried at one titne to hustle me, hut as 1. was not out to establish Ne\v Zealand records I made him wait while I had a good breakfast, and the plainclothes constable and 1 entered a waiting taxi and arrived four minutes ahead of time. We entered a cold corridor (bitterly cold) and then found two doctors, also an official (who turned out to be a Magistrate). A relative was there also and a youth from the Court office. The constable stood on guard at the western end of the corridor. The “ official ” then commenced a variety of questions. X immediately retorted bv demanding his pedigree—he refused to state his rank. He returned to tlie attack, so in sarcastic fashion I asked him if ho were “Dr Thacker or Mr M ’Combs,” and if he were either, to say so. He then climbed down from his perch of secrecy and said lie was - the Magistrate.

VERBAL SPARRING. Next question was: Are you over 30? (I look 45). “ Look here, old chap,” I said, “you can cut out this nonsense tind ask something sensible.” I told him he ought to ask the constable if ho (the constable) were over eight stone. I told him that I had no intention of answering silly and childish questions. Gee, whiz! I wa s boiling with rage at the indignity of the thing. » didn’t become excited. j felt like striking my tormentor. Mv legal enemy who held a prepared foolscap typed with my name, age, etc. came to me once more. He asked me if I were “married or single.” I said, “You can cut that out also as you have all my particulars on that foolscap.” You perhaps wonder why 7 took such a stand. Well ! T would have seen them in Hades lirst before- 1 answered their stupid questions, and besides 1 resented, and resented strongly the indignity of such farcical proceedings. T told them plainly that I would answer any sensible questions, but would not .answer anything childish. doctor asked me> if I Lad

“any money.” 1 answered, “Plenty.” Next question the doctor put was: “ Are you going to buy a car?” 1 answered: “I don’t know.” “NO REAL EVIDENCE.” Look here! They hadn’t a leg to stand on, and I maintain and I’m prepared to prove that there was no real evidence (truthful evidence) against A few days ago a certain official here (Asylum) quoted evidence to mo which had been used against me. In a. flash T say how a trivial circumstance had been cruelly exaggerated to an extent bordering on perjury. Now then, why wasn't ’s evidence given in my presence? In that case I could have replied to such evidence—l could have cross-examined them and J could then have placed my interpretation on ray alleged erratic conduct. P-S.—This letter is supposed to he censored by my kind guardians, hut where there’s a will there’s a way. August 17, 1922. LETTER WRITING DIFFICULTIES. Your letter dated Monday morning, 9.30, arrived and was given to me last Monday—exactly a week in transit. I have made several ineffectual attempts to reply before this; but with one pen for fifty patients, sometimes an unusable nib, and a grudging sup-

ply of writing material, correspondence is somewhat difficult. As the authorities here are not looking for the limelight I suppose that is why they don’t encourage letter writing. For instance, the other day when I applied for writing materia] the attendant told me I was only entitled to one letter per week. Did you ever hear such nonsense? Why, if I had twelve friends to write to they would each receive a letter every three months. I appealed to one of higher rank and he told me there was no such restriction. You see the attendant was just big and simple, with no wit and devoid of humour, evidently lying to show his authority by stupid bluff. “MAID OF THE MOUNT Al NS. ’ ’ A few nights ago some of the good patients were taken to fill dress circle seats at “ The .Maid of the Mountains.” Next day one of them said to me, “ Where are all those girls now ?” On Sunday I was permitted to join a walking party. Like a mob of sheep we crossed Lincoln Road, and made a circular trip round the district. In Street I “got the wind up ” as 1 have friends there whom T lately visited and am supposed to visit there again. By jove ! If they had spotted me I think they would have cancelled a long-standing invitation. The majority of the fellows were not intelligent, and one of them got on my nerves with his Scotch mixture of sane and insane babble. Y'et lie reckoned that armed with a rifle and twenty minutes of time, ho could render this country a good service by shooting the worst and most hopeless cases in this institution. I’m now “ promoted ” to the caril penter’s shop, where T work in accord*:; once with invisible wages. At 9 a.m. 11 ami others sally forth to our respective jobs. I start by drawing up a big ' wicker chair in front of the big fire ’ and reading in the “Times” how an eccentric, old lady had to he liberated from a mental (?) hospital in the Auckland province. CHIDLEY’S ECCENTRICITIES. You'll remember how Sister Ligouri was released from an Australian “ rat house ” and dozens of Now Zealand people (including myself) can tell you how Chidley was released from a Sydney mental hospital after a big indignation meeting in the Sydney Town Hall. ' F’ve seen C’hidley advocating the simple life by walking through the heart of Sydney in a thick Canadian bathing costume. I guess the drapers bad him locked up. Last night we had pictures, including Tennyson’s best poem. “ Lady Claire.” We finished a pleasant evening in a pleasant fashion by consuming buns (nice buns) and coffee. You ask when I am leaving here ? Well, that I really don’t know, although an official here told me that they would “ soon be kicking me out.” I don’t know why, because I’m just as or jusl a* mu na as the ds£- 1

arrived. My head has not gone off with a, hang, neither have I experienced (as the quack advertisement says) and “ tingling glow.” I would nowvery much like to know' what change or improvement has taken place. AS SANE AS THE DOCTORS. Look here, these doctors know just as well as you and I know that I’m as sane as they are, but they haven’t sufficient British fair play in their minds to admit it. So the Ghrstehuroh medical men have inflicted on me a life-long injustice and a life-long stigma. The doctors of this institution are then forced to become parties to this gross injustice by detaining me in this asylum. There is a unionism among doctors only equalled by waterside workers. In fact’ they seem to l>e more loyal to other doctors than they are to their overcharged patients. (Further extracts from these letters will appear to-morrow.)