17

H.—22a

of expiry of the original order. The taking of any alcoholic liquor whatever is regarded as a relapse, and the patient signs a request for the relations to take action in his own interests should he fail to apply for recommittal himself. These undertakings have proved very effective, the patient tending to keep sober at least until the date of expiry of the original order. As I have already indicated, patients and friends tend to become very importunate on the matter of early release, and it seems to me highly desirable that the law should provide that, in every case where a patient has an order rescinded or is allowed home on probation, in the event of relapse he should be returned to the Home for at least twelve months. The English Act provides that a license to be at liberty may be issued after three months as soon as a patient gives evidence of sufficient recovery to make it appear reasonably possible that he would be able to keep from liquor and take care of himself. This license permits resumption of ordinary duties of life. The permit remains in force as for remainder of sentence, or so long as patient refrains from intoxicating liquor. Should he drink, the license is revoked, and the patient is compelled to return to the Home. Some person is required to become responsible for the licensee whilst at liberty under license, and to render monthly reports to the Superintendent as to his behaviour. If required, the police can be asked to report. In our Act of 1898 the matter of rescission of order is left entirely to the Magistrate, and a report from the Superintendent is not required, though it has always been asked for in practice. Detention for alcoholism is evidently regarded as a question of expediency, not of necessity as in the case of insanity, and it is obvious that family and pecuniary affairs have much more to do with the desirability of release in the case of inebriates than in the case of the insane. Nearly half of the patients who have left the Home at Orokonui have had their periods of detention curtailed by Magistrates for various reasons. In several of these cases the patients should never have been committed ; in most cases there were more or less urgent family reasons for the patient's return home ; and in some cases it was obvious that the patient's friends had asked for long periods of detention under the erroneous impression that rescission could be obtained at any time on applying for it. 2. Power should, I submit, be given to the Superintendent to discharge any patient from the Home if, in his opinion, the case is from any cause unsuitable for treatment. F. Truby King, M.B.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not «iven ; priuting (1,688 copies), £10 Ha.

Price 9d.]

Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o4.

S- H. 22a.