H.—6b

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTS ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS, BY DEPUTY-INSPECTORS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 144 of " The Lunatics Act, 1882?'

NAPIER. Mr. T. A. Smith to the Hon. the Colonial Secbetaey. Sib,— Napier, 9th June, 1886. In accordance with clause 143 of " The Lunatics Act, 1882," I have the honour to report as follows for the twelve months ended the 31st December last :— During the year I visited the asylum fifteen times. On the 27th April, 1885, in consequence of my representations as to overcrowding, 16 patients (13 males and 3 females) were removed per " Hineinoa "to Wellington. Since their departure I find the health of the remaining patients much improved. On the 31st December last there were 4 males and 3 females remaining. I always found the asylum clean and well kept, and the warders attentive to their duties. I have, &c, T. A. Smith, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Deputy Inspector, Lunatic Asylums.

"WELLINGTON. Mr. J. Mackay to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Since my last report on the 10th February I have visited the Mount View Asylum as follows: loth February, 24th February, 15th March, 13th April, 30th May, and the sth June. From the 10th February to the sth June, 10 patients, 9 males and 1 female, have been admitted; G patients, 5 males and 1 female, have been discharged, and 1 female patient has died. At present there are in the asylum 185 patients—los males and 80 females. I have seen and conversed from time to time with all the patients. I have heard complaints, none of which were rational; and inspected the dormitories, lavatories, &c, and found them invariably in excellent order. Of the management of the asylum I have the same old story to repeat: it continues to be characterized by the most careful attention to the minutest details, the same untiring zeal, and the same happy results. Those who knew the asylum before Dr. Levinge took charge and who know it now, cannot fail to be struck with the great improvements he has made. From what I have seen and read of other asylums in the colony, I am inclined to believe that the anticipations, to which I gave expression in a previous report, have been, if not altogether, at least almost, fulfilled —that the Mount View Asylum, as regards accommodation and supervision, is not far from being the model asylum of New Zealand. The usual statutory statistics in connection with Mount View have been recently laid before the department in the late Inspector-General's last report. Instead of repeating these here, let me make one or two suggestions which I think might with advantage be acted upon. 1. Convalescent Fund. —My attention was called the other day by Dr. Levinge to the case of a female patient at present in the asylum. She has recovered and is discharged, but has no friends to whom she can go. It seems hard to turn her out into the world, and yet she ought not to be in the asylum. If there were a convalescent fund upon which Dr. Levinge could draw, he would be in a position to give this patient, and others similarly circumstanced, such judicious assistance as would put them in the way of making a fresh start in life. Now from the statistics furnished by Dr. Grabham in his last report, it will be seen that during the past year the patients at Mount View have earned a considerable sum of money, partly by agricultural labour and partly by washing for the hospital: might not a part of these earnings be set aside as the nucleus of a convalescent fund ? If this were done, and the sum thus set apart supplemented by private charity, temporary provision could be made for discharged patients till they found suitable employment. 2. Male Back Ward. —Dr. Levinge is very anxious to mako the back ward on the male side uniform with the corresponding ward on the female side of the building. The latter ward has now an airing-court beautifully laid out, ornamented with flower-beds and a fountain, and supplied with