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Array
(
    [entityType] => ITEM
    [entity] => Array
        (
            [contextId] => aims
            [description] => Array
                (
                    [0] => This series is comprised of case files registered with the Wellington Supreme Court for hearings in relation to persons deemed to be suffering from mental illness or drunkenness. In particular the hearings dealt with: Petitions for, and hearings of, Inquisition de Lunatico (inquiries into whether a person was of unsound mind and incapable of managing themselves and their affairs); Administration and management of the New Zealand estates of persons deemed to be suffering from mental illness; Petitions for, and hearings of, persons deemed to be habitual drunkards.
                )

            [id] => 25135
            [idSort] => 25135
            [name] => Lunacy case files
            [custom] => Array
                (
                    [custom5] => The case files generally contain multiple documents and most files are individually bound by ribbon. Documents within a file are usually fastened together with split pins, paper clips, staples or pins.  Generally groups of files are bundled together with string length-wise and width-wise around the bundle.  For most bundles thick pieces of card backing board are positioned on the top and bottom of each bundle.  In most cases the card backing board is not as long as the files.

The condition of the records varies from box to box and bundle to bundle.  In some cases, where card backing boards are missing, the top/bottom files are in a very poor state.  Some files have been wet or in damp conditions and the documents are in poor condition - ranging from crumbling along the top and bottom edges to being blocked (the pages stuck together) – requiring preservation treatment.

Where these issues have been seen by Archives NZ, damaged or missing backing boards have been replaced with acid free boards and the string replaced by acid-free ribbon.  Some case files have been enclosed in acid free envelopes.
                )

            [identifier] => Array
                (
                    [priref] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => 31464
                        )

                )

            [authenticityNote] => 

	The series start year is based on the year of registration of the first identified case file in the holdings, which has a record number of “3”.
            [digitalRecordInArchive] => 
            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                (
                    [normalizedValue] => 1873-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => approximate
                            [1] => yearOnly
                        )

                )

            [hasEndDate] => Array
                (
                    [normalizedValue] => 1946-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => exact
                            [1] => yearOnly
                        )

                )

            [hasOrHadCategory] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Legal Files
                            [type] => SeriesFormat
                        )

                    [1] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Loose Papers
                            [type] => SeriesFormat
                        )

                )

            [history] => 

	This series is comprised of Lunacy case files registered with the Wellington Supreme Court under the Lunatics Act 1868, and later repealing acts and their amendments (Lunatics Act 1882, Lunatics Act 1908, Mental Defectives Act 1911).

	The case files in this series generally relate to people residing within New Zealand.  Occasionally, case files may relate to a person residing outside of New Zealand if their estate was located within New Zealand.

	The documents within the case files in this series reflect the types of cases the Wellington Supreme Court heard and its Registrars dealt with.  Under the 1868 Act, the cases were mainly to do with:

	

		Petitions for, and hearings of, Inquisition de Lunatico (inquiries into whether a person was of unsound mind and incapable of managing themselves and their affairs);

		 
	

		Matters relating to administration and management of the New Zealand estates of persons deemed to be suffering from mental illness (including those who were resident outside of New Zealand), such as appointment of the committee of the estate, recovery of maintenance money, and application of the estate (by sale or other means) for the benefit of the person deemed to be suffering from mental illness;

		 
	

		Petitions for, and hearings of, persons deemed to be habitual drunkards.


	With the passing of the 1911 Mental Defectives Act the Supreme Court no longer dealt with matters relating to habitual drunkards.  It appears this is because the Supreme Court’s powers in this area were brought under the 1898 Inebriates Institutions Act.

	Under the 1911 Mental Defectives Act the administrative burden on the Supreme Court was reduced with the Public Trustee being able to administer the estate of a mentally defective person without sanction of the Court where the value of the estate was less than £500.  The Mental Defectives Act 1911 also removed the word “lunatic” from the legislative terminology, replacing it with the phrase “mental defective”, and this is reflected in the documents.

	The administrative burden on the Supreme Court was further reduced under the Mental Defectives Amendment Act 1921-1922 with the value of the estate the Public Trustee could administer without sanction of the Court being increased to £2000.

	Function and content

	The documents in a pre-1911 Mental Defectives Act registered case file may include:

	

		affidavits (including: affidavit of lunacy from a keeper of a lunatic asylum, report and affidavit of the Public Trustee requesting approval to sell property);
	

		petitions (including: for Inquisition de Lunatico, for liberty to traverse an inquisition, for supersedeas of inquisitions (an order not to enforce or proceed with the judgement of the inquiry), petition from the alleged lunatic, applications for detention, petitions by drunkards or other persons requesting curative treatment)
	

		certificates (including: as a result of an inquisition, when the Public Trustee exercised powers without sanction of Court, Net Value of Estate)
	

		 findings of the Judge
	

		orders (including: for discharge of patient, for commission of inquiry, authorising sale of all or part of the estate of the lunatic, for supersedeas of inquisitions, appointments to the committee of the estate, disallowing attendance on proceedings by next of kin, payment of maintenance, to carry on business),
	

		praecipe for certificate of judgement (including: appointing a guardian for an infant next of kin during the proceedings)
	

		reports (including: from the Public Trustee regarding administration and management of a lunatic’s estate, from the Court Registrar on matters relating to a pending inquiry, from the Commissioner on outcome of exam of alleged lunatic)
	

		summonses, bonds, supporting documents such as accounts, lists of property and goods that make up an estate.


	Case files registered after the introduction of the 1911 Mental Defectives Act will not relate to hearings regarding habitual drunkards. 

	Additionally, post-1911 registered case files may contain only a Certificate as to Net Value of Estate, where the Public Trustee has ascertained the value of the estate is below a certain value as set out in the 1911 Mental Defective Act and the 1921-1922 Mental Defective Amendment Act.

	System of arrangement and control

	The Wellington Supreme Court operated at least two different systems of classification for case files heard under the various Lunacy and Mental Defective acts.

	Each record (case file) in this series was assigned a sequential running single number until the end of 1946.  In 1947 the Court adopted an annual running number classification system (series 25136).

	Occasionally multiple cases relating to the same person, but with different record numbers, have been bundled together; with the earlier registered case file(s) being included with the later registered case file.

	At times case files registered under the sequential running single number classification system have been bundled with case files registered under the succeeding (post 1946) classification system (series 25136).
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                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [type] => HoldingsYears
                            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [type] => YearStartHoldings
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1873-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => approximate
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                            [hasEndDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [type] => YearEndHoldings
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1956-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => exact
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                        )

                )

            [isAssociatedWithPlace] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Wellington repository
                        )

                )

            [itemType] => Series
            [managementRelation] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Wellington High Court
                            [type] => controlled_by
                            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1873-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => approximate
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                            [hasEndDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => unknown
                                        )

                                )

                            [itemType] => Agency
                            [relationHasSource] => AAOM
                        )

                    [1] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Department of Justice, Head Office
                            [type] => controlled_by
                            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => unknown
                                        )

                                )

                            [hasEndDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1995-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => approximate
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                            [itemType] => Agency
                            [relationHasSource] => AAAR
                        )

                )

            [rdfType] => recordSet
            [recordIsMissing] => 
            [ricClassification] => NUMERICAL
            [ricClassificationDescription] => Each record (case file) has been assigned a sequential running single number.
            [sequentialRelation] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] => Mental defective case files
                            [type] => succeeding
                            [hasBeginningDate] => Array
                                (
                                    [normalizedValue] => 1947-01-01T00:00:00.0Z
                                    [dateQualifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => exact
                                            [1] => yearOnly
                                        )

                                )

                            [itemType] => Series
                            [relationHasSource] => 25136
                        )

                )

            [seriesAccessContacts] => 

	For privileged access, please apply in writing to the Wellington High Court. Please check the Ministry of Justice's website for most up to date contact details for this court: https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/utilities/contact/courts

	For access to files restricted for preservation reasons only, contact Archives New Zealand for permission to view or the availability of alternative access provisions. Viewing may be by appointment only.

	Contact details for Archives New Zealand:

	Archives New Zealand

	PO Box 12050

	WELLINGTON 6144

	New Zealand

	Telephone:  (64-4) 499-5595

	Email:  research.archives@dia.govt.nz

	 
            [seriesRestrictionReason] => 

	These files are restricted for 100 years from the date of the last paper on the files.  In addition, list entries for nominal file titles are also restricted for 100 years from the date of the last paper on the files.

	Some files are not issuable pending repair or other preservation treatment. These particular records are restricted under section 49(1)(b) of the Public Records Act 2005.
            [setSpec] => series
        )

)