SEX PERVERTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18041, 5 April 1924, Page 6

SEX PERVERTS.

SUGGESTED SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WORKERS CONVENED. A movement, emanating from Hamilton, Wnikato, is on foot to organise a campaign throughout the Dominion to bring into being ft Reception House for the physically and morally degenerate. A copy of the circular issued by the committee in Hamilton has been received by tho Christchurch Social Hygiene Society, and from it tho iollowing details are extracted : On March 4th last the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce resolved that the Government should be asked to set aside sufficient funds (a) To build suitable buildings to house these uniortunato people; (b) to acquire and g»« access to a certain amount or »«■*; country where these people can bo Kept under 'rigid discipline and be made do sufficient manual labour to mnM. the Home self-supporting. A committee consisting of leading citizens or Hamilton decided to convene a conference of delegates from tho Mothers' Thought Leagues, Churches, Ladies - Guilds, and similar organisations, for the purpose of devising wajs and means to bring the matter um.er the notice of the Government, tins conference has been fixed tor the /»t" of the present month, and the circular states that Mr S. Lye, of Newstead, has consented to address any Association requiring further information as to estimated costs and so forth. Extracts from the Crimes Act (Section 2) are given in the circular to show that sexual perverts are not provided for at present as mental cases. As to the power to commit to such a. Home as that proposed, it is suggested that it should bo exercised by a Judge of the Supreme Court and two doctors, all three to agree before any person can be committed. It is also suggested that Judges should have power, on the conviction of a person for any.sexual offence to commit such person to the Home for a period of detention, or on an intermediate sentence, and without further action of the police; detain patients in the Home during the pleasure of a Board, similar to the Prisons Board, which the Government is to be asked to set up: this Board would also review each case annually. The classification of patients suitable for the Home should be: . Sexual perverts should go to the Home under indeterminate sentence, their cases to be considered once a year by the Board for indications of improvement and to ascertain whether "the patient is fit to be at large, bavins: due regard to the public safety, and his or her wen-being. Tt is also suggested that there should bo provision to allow patients to be sterilised on giving their consent.