GRAVE CHARGES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 13

GRAVE CHARGES.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. POSITION OF MENTAL HOSPITALS. (FBBSB ISSOCIA.TIOX TELEGBIU.) WELLINGTON, August 31. *'ln effect Mr Lysnar lias accused the medical officers of the institutions under my control of an indictable offence. It is now incumbent upon him to give names and particulars! in order that an enquiry may be made, and justice done to the victims of,this alleged outrage." Tlutj was the comment of the Min- 1 v ister for Health (the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy), when his attention was drawn to the remarks reported in ,the "Dominion," to have been made by Mr W. D. Lysnar, M.P., in the course of the debate on the Divorce and Matrimonial:. Causes Amendment , ' ' Mr Lysnar is reported to have stated; (1) He knew of cases where * hundreds had been sent to the mental hospital by their wives, for the purpose of divorce. • ■' - , (2) Unless- these persons had friend* outside the institutions, they would probably remain there ten years. '(3)-: One had come under-his notice recently of a woman, who had been put into an asylum by her husband. Mr- Lysnar said he had Interceded - for Irer less than two years. ago',, and ■ the result was that to-day Bhe was'wallsing the streets,of Wellington with no* thing the "matter with her. The Minister said ' he' had inyesti- -, gated , these statements, aiid none'pf them 'appeared ,to, have the slightest ' foundation "in fact. , Replying to them categorically "he said: " . * *•* ' 'V' (1) If Mr Lysnar k#e,w of any such case it was surely inc undent upon him to make proper representations toVtjhe Minister in charge of 'the Department, and to supply names and particulars; in - order : that an enquiry s may he made, v .and justice done to the, victims ~of the alleged outrage. * ' (2) This statement in effect accuses ' the medical officers, of the institutions referred to, of an indictable* offence, and is v a very serious matter indeed. ? The Medical Superintendent of a mental hospital is required, under our New, Zealand Act, to certify to the mental condition of all patients admitted- to' his institution, and 'the making of a false statement in this respect is ah' indict- ' able offence under Section 125 of 'the Act. , v (3) Mr Lysnar has made no.represent tations to me, on behalf of' any female who has been discharged from any mental hospital since I have occupied the • position'of Minister for Health. X am-/'' further advised on enquiry, by the« DK | rector-General- of Mental Hospitals, 'that.. - i no female patient has been -discharged from any mental hospital in the Do-" minion during the past, say, five years, in response to an intercession of Mr •Lysnar. , ' * • , ' Mr Stallworthy expressed the hope, that Mr Lysnar had not been correctly:! reported, but, as the statements, attri- • buted to him were contrary to" factj and likely to have a damaging effect upon the reputation of mental hospitals, he was bound to take the earliest opportunity of refuting them.