Memorial from Session of Co. Halifax for amendments In law relating to Pauper Lunatics, 15 February 1864

To the Honourable the House of Assembly now in Session Convened.

The Memorial of the Session of the County of Halifax

Humbly showeth:

1 -- That the account charged against the County of Halifax for the support of the Hospital for the Insane has become so heavy, do to call forth the respectful and ..nest remonstrance of the Grand Jury and Sessions

2 -- That the account rendered against the County in

1860	was	$ 1382.64
1861	“	2987.48
1862	“	4803.28
1863	“	4633.61

3 -- That in December Term 1861 The Grand Jury made the following Presentment to the Sessions : “The Amount for which This County in particular is assessed having now become so large and so disproportionate, the Grand Jury think it their duty to bring to the notice of the Worshipful Court the fact that this expense now … by rate payers only leaves free from taxation a … … who equally derive benefit from the Provincial Asylum and The Grand Jury respectfully submits to the Worshipful Court the property of petitioning the Legislature to equalize the taxation by making the expense of the Provincial Asylum entirely a Provincial Charge and they hope that when it is considered that the Guardians of the County have no voice or control in its management on Expenditure the request will not be deemed unreasonable.

And in December 1862 The Grand Jury further presented.

With reference to the amount provided for the Lunatic Asylum say ?899 0.2, the Grand Jury fully agreeing with their predecessors, would suggest that the Court bring to the notice of the Legislature the heavy burden the County has to bear for this service and seek relief by urging a modification of the Law that places upon the County the maintenance for such Pauper Lunatics, who belonging to the transient or floating population, may have been but one year resident with the County. The Pauper patients now chargeable on the county number thirty-one.

And in December 1863, the Grand Jury again presented,

In view of the continued large contributions extracted from the County for the Lunatic Asylum, the Grand Jury, fully agreeing with their predecessors would again suggest that the Court bring to the notice of the Legislature the heavy burden the County has to bear for this service, and would urge a modification of the law by placing the burden upon the Province instead of the County.

4 -- The Sessions would respectfully remind your Honourable House that Halifax being the principal sea port town, a number of persons arrive here, who became chargeable and it is not just that the County of Halifax should be so heavily burdened.

5 -- The Sessions have been informed that in the Province of New Brunswick, the Lunatic Asylum is a Provincial charge, except in cases where the patients themselves or their friends pay for their maintenance.

6 -- The Sessions strongly convincing in the opinions expressed by the several Grand Jurors,

Earnestly solicit your Honorable House, favouring to consider this Memorial and so to amend the Law as to make the Hospital for the Insane, in cases of poor Lunatics a Provincial Charge

and the Memorial as in duty bound will ever pray by:

[5 signatures]

Committee On behalf of the Sessions

Halifax 13th Feb^y 1864

Source: Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, , RG 5 series “P” vol. 88 #91, Committee on behalf of session, Petition Insane Asylum of Halifax, March 15, 1860.

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