DANGER TO THE RACE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1085, 25 March 1911, Page 6

DANGER TO THE RACE.

INCREASE OF THE UNFIT. STATEMENT BY PROFESSOR BENHAM. SCHOOL FOR DEFECTIVE GIRLS. {By Telegraph—Press Association.) Duncdin, March 24. A joint deputation from the Eugenics Education Society and the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board waited on tho Hon. G. Fowlds to-day to m-go him to proceed with tho erection of a school for defective girls. Tho Eugenics Society had previously passed a resolution urging tho importance of erecting such a homo; also urging the desirability of-collecting data relative to the family history of the inmates of special schools, and asking that permission bo given to tho society for investigating records and filling up schedules • prepared for tho purpose; also that since tho notification of infirmity on census returns is likely to bo more or less imperfect, tho society expressed to the Minister tho great need for early adoption of a scheme "for systematic medical inspection of schools through-1 out the Dominion. Professor Bcnham (president of the Eugenics Society) congratulated tho Government for passing several important Acts having distinct bearing on the objects aimed at by tho society, which was especially interested in the Act empowering tho executive to establish homes, or schools, for feeble-minded girls, and to extend the period of control over those boys and girls who were manifestly unfit'to contend successfully with many of the vicissitudes of life with which they would bo faced if they were out in tho world. Continuing, Professor Benliam said tho wholly reckless way in which feeblemindedness was allowed in tho Old Country to permeate society was fraught with terrible danger to tho race, and he trusted strong efforts would bo made.in Now Zealand to tako such steps . as would avoid this danger before it was lop late. Feebleminded girls wcro unable to withstand temptations that arose from their own defective natures. Their lack of self-control led them to indulge in alcohol and in frequent mating?. Statistics show that in a largo number of instances this mental" defcct is transmissible, whatever bo

tlio originating cause of the defect. Tho cost to tlio Stato of providing for 0110 feeble-minded girl was less if she wero detained permanently and thus prevented from indulging in her propensity for mating than if slie were allowed to go into the world after a certain period of control for then tlio Stato would liavo to bear tho charge of all her family as it surely would do in the end, and the family was usually not small. Ho understood a sum of money had been placed 011 the Estimates for tho purpose of erecting a homo for these unfortunates, and tho Charitable Aid Board and tho Eugenics Education Society urged upon tho Minister as strongly as they could tho need of proceeding witli tho work at the earliest possible moment. Tho speaker went 011 to urge tho importance of collecting data relative to the family histories of all inmates in these special schools for deaf mutes, .blind, mental defectives, and in industrial schools, and ho might also add mental hospitals and prisons. It asked that either the officials ho authorised, or representatives of tho society be-permitted to investigate records and to fill up certain schedules prepared for tlie purpose. No naliies would'be published..letters'i>r numbers' would sulncc to indicate'" 'tho' family record. It was desired to ascertain liow far these various defects wero inherited and to what extent they were exhibited by collaterals in various schools. Mr. Fowlds said he was very heartily in sympathy with tho objects of tlio society. One of &»b first new departures mad© by tlio Education Department after he became Minister wes to provide that Otokaiki should bo set apart for tho treatment of a section of tho feebleminded. Naturally it cost a good deal to organise and run ail institution of tho kind, and the amount placed at the of tho Minister for Education was limited, while the claims wore very numerous. From the first ho had anticipated providing an institution for girls similar to that for boys. Before ho left for South Afric.a ho arranged for a vote on tho Estimates for a school for girls, and he hoped that before long tho''building-would be proceeded with. Tho start had been delayed owing to pressure of.Ministerial business, and tho fact that further equipment for tlio boys' school had been necessary. Tho eollcction of statistics must be done by tho officials of tlie various institutions concerned. He would bo glad to do what ho could to co-operatc- in tho collection of statistics. Ho recognised that statistics of the kind would be very valuable, both from ail educational point of view and for guidance in the control of different institutions in future. The Department had now wider power in getting hold of neglected children than it used to have. In past years a child could not be sent to an industrial school until it had been convictcd of crime. Now thero was power to bring a neglected child before a Court, and, if necessary, it could bo committed to tho caro of tlio Department. Gradually tlioy wore making progress, but naturally the work of education was slow. Ho recognised that the society was able to render effective service to the community 011 tlio educational side of tlio work. In regard to medical inspection of school children, ho was hopeful before long that something would be done that would not be costly and would yet be effective.