LIONEL TERRY. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 2

LIONEL TERRY. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER.

[BT TELEGRArH.— PIiKSS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCIIURCH, 16th January. Sir Joseph Ward stated to-day that he had read Dr.' Truby lying's statements in regard to Lionel Terry, but he did not know if 'they had been submitted to the Minister in charge of aSylums.i Sir Joseph added, however, ihttfc on his return to Wellington he would have the whole case specially looked into. As to the proposal that the Governnient should establish an asylum for insane persons of criminal tendencies, said Sir Josephi that was a subject upon which he was not prepared to make any definite statement. It was true that Terry's case was quite exceptional, but there was no doubt , that* there irerfc many others in the Dominion's asylums who should be specially considered. TO THE EDITOtt. Sir, — I think by this t.me thi public (at any rate the male poition of it) 's becoming somewhat wearied by the repeated attempts of Lionel Terry to escape from his confinement. I cannot help thinking that by far the best com se to pursue would be to send him, under suitabb escort, to/ England, cither at tho expenso of his frie/ids or of ths New Zealand Government. I feel sure that tho most rational treatment of this cass resolves itself into a, question of placing him in a suitable, environment. As long as he remains ii\ the Dominior his mind will naturally tend to dwell more and more upon his supposed grievances as regards aliens, and ha will be continually meditating further designs against the unfortunate "chows."' Having been one of the resident medical officers at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum m England, where the majority of the patients aro largely of the Teny type, I am convinced that if Jko were examined' by; an expert alienist in mental disorders in London he would ■speedily be sent to •Brondmoor, where ho would not only be very idv rfcmoved from the scene of his crime, but would ba placed amontrst patients of his own clnsse and 'intellect, and no doubt in timo hie menial condition would becom? gieatly ameliorated if il6l entirely restored. Dr. Truby King, in your issue of th<! 15th ult., r.s^erts in the Obago Daily Tjmes that Lionel Terry is unquestionably .insane and irresponsible, and later it: another paragraph says that it would be tha best thing for Terry and ■everyone concerned if he had his own way and was cent to prison ! It io obvious that a prison is in no wise a suitable placo to send a man .suffering from any, form of mental nl'erration, neither was it t-ven intended to bo used us such. In the meantime the comparative case with which he has managed lo evade hir> atlendante and break psylnim doe* not redound to tho H'odib of those establishments. — I am, 'etc., H. HOLLAND MOiNTKTON. Wellington, 16th January, 19Q8»