Lake Alice claimants angry at long delays

The Government has spent almost $500,000 in its battle with about 100 former Lake Alice child patients who say they were abused and tortured at the mental institution in the 1970s.

In response to a request under the Official Information Act, the Deputy Director-General of Health, Debbie Chin, said $483,570 had been spent dealing with the claimants from 1997 until last month.

But the former patients remain bitter at the length of time the settlement has taken.

Ms Chin said $399,464 had been spent on proceedings taken by Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron, who represents most of the claimants, and $84,106 on other claimants.

Most of the cost ($387,814) for all claims had gone to the Crown Law Office, which had been handling the claim for the Ministry of Health, as well as $39,934 in fees for medical experts and $55,820 in investigation expenses.

Ms Chin declined to say how much settling the claims would cost the Government or even to provide an estimate.

In July the Government offered the 95 claimants represented by Mr Cameron up to $6.5 million to settle their case, lodged in the High Court in April 1999.

Those papers alleged former patients were tortured and abused at the hospital, near Marton, between January 1972 and December 1977 while in the child and adolescent unit.

They claim they were given the drug paraldehyde and electric shock treatment as forms of punishment.

Since the offer was made, retired High Court judge Sir Rodney Gallen has met about half of the claimants to hear their stories. Sir Rodney has the task, under the settlement, of determining whether the compensation should be equally divided.

But one former patient, who has not been named, remained bitter at the length of time taken to settle the dispute and excessive crown costs.

Former National Health Minister Bill English expressed horror in 1997 at the claims and said it had to be cleared up quickly, but four years later the matter was only about to be settled, he said.

"The money does not go half the way to healing the violence that occurred. They could have come with an apology," Mr English said.

A spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said it was hoped Sir Rodney's report would be finished in two or three weeks.

Auckland lawyer Phillipa Cunningham, who is representing two claimants who are not part of the settlement process, said their case had been set down for trial in April next year.

Dr Selwyn Leeks, the psychiatrist at the child and adolescent unit during the 1970s, lives in Melbourne and could not be contacted for comment.

Though Dr Leeks is no longer registered in New Zealand, a Medical Council spokeswoman said the council had considered one complaint against him last year but decided not to take any further action.

She declined to comment on whether there were other complaints against Dr Leeks.

- NZPA