Abstract
Histories of British mental health policy and services in Georgian and Victorian times until recently have been strongly Anglocentric. In the nineteenth century, however, the Scottish system remained proudly distinctive within a broadly British framework. This article discusses elements of the Scottish model that were adopted in New Zealand up until the Second World War. Both countries retained a somatic orthodoxy and strongly institutional focus of care, within which efforts were made to open locked wards, liberalise parole and activate patients. The villa system, reception homes, voluntary admission and some ideas on staff training and deployment also owe something to contemporary Scottish practice. Scottish-born or Scottish-trained top administrators and medical staff did much to introduce these ideas from 'hame' to New Zealand's mental hospital service.