NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

MENTAL DEFECTIVES,

A GOVEBNMENT BILL,

The Mental Defectives Bill, which has been'.introduced by the Hon. G. IWlds is a comprehensive measure relating largely to matters of procedure. Incidentally it has the effect of removing the word lunatic from the. Statute Book, the now measure; being in substitution 436 to «1. of the Crimes Act, 1908, which are .to be repealed. 'Mentally defective person" is denned as a person who, owing to his mental condition, requires oversight, care, or control, for his own good or in the public Fnlfc Ml, Y,w& Perso - ns aro defied as Eollow:-(1) Persons of pnsound mind," that is persons who, owing, to a disorder ot tho mmd, .are incapable of managing themse ves or their affairs; (2) "persons if™ "' y infi f , ?''■' Z lat - is P«sons P who through menta infirmity, duo to age or decay of faculties, are incapable of manfgl.l!?.. themselves or their affairs; (3) idiots, ■ toat is persons so deficient in mind from infancy that they are unable to guard themselves against common nhvBical dangers; (i) "imbeciles," that is persons .who, though capable of guarding themselves against such dangers, are incapable of earning their own livinj; bv reason of mental deficiency, existing from infancy; (a) "feeble-minded," that is Persons who may be able to earn a living under favourable circumstances, but are incapable, through n-ental deficiency existing trom infancy, of competing on equal terms with their fellows, or of managing their affairs with ordinary s^^Ssgs ,, «•»«»- de^ct^^rn^tS^wif/l^t , . renewed on a certificate being riven by. tho medical officer of the institution during the month of December in each year.

annlv f n 6 the iy of a constable to XI ?' "i reCCphon order in ™y M se Uevo thl? haS rMS ? ua,jie «""se to bciie»o that a person is mentally defective anv neß, S eled or cruel 'y treated by anj perMn having the chargo of him or K or is suicidal or dangerous or acts in a manner offensive to public decency fa? «Nt \"» Cl ' . Pl ' Oper oversi si'. care, sSwMh- 100 Tdors may bo isZt ) a "iSistrate on the strength of under f ll Certli,c , at6s by t,ro doct ofs a under the existing law. effect 0 El!, 011OO f , - he Crimes Aet t° 'he offence wh e ? n Cem Cas t s of "diotabl* mm tism i,f». ttC f S ll rilt ?. n b >' Parents to nny Jfiu S C t^ luspeclor or oilicial slnil'|°'- an mediate y forwarded un ,'po | ai " iV C ° nSolid -