A TARANAKI COMPLAINT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1704, 22 March 1913, Page 5

A TARANAKI COMPLAINT.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. H. D. BELL. . Thp Taranaki Hospital Board at its meeting on Wednesday discussed at length, and with some heat, the case of a girl who had, it' was, alleged, been literally .hounded to earth -by -certain Government officials desirous of committing her to a homo for mentally defective girls. As on upshot of a long discussion, the following motion was unanimously carried:—"That tho board requests that a searching inquiry be held into tlio condition of affairs that permits of tho perpetration of such a gross injustice as is 6hown to have taken place in tho case of the girl, and further that the removal of tho officers immediately responsible' is demanded."

The Hon., H. D. Bell, when the motion of the Taranaki Board was mentioned tJo him .on' Thursday, said that the proceedings complained of had been taken according to the ordinary and regular course. "In tho majority' of such cases," he continued, "whero the Government' is called upon to perform its statutory duty of taking chargo of young peoplo who are alleged to be defective, thero is resist,ance. and quite unfounded charges are levelled against tlio officials who oro endeavouring to do their duty. Every case is fully investigated before aotion is taken; and it sli'ould bo assumed, until the contrary is proved, that the responsible officers, in whom I personally'have the most complete confidence, have acted with duo discretion. "In the enso which has been the' subject of recent telegrams from Now Plymouth, tlio child is not with relations pr friends, but is boarded out with strangers by tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, It is believed that tlio child should bo removed from her present surroundings and takon charge of'by tlio Government. institution, in which she can have care and advantages which aiio not now availahlo to lior. Some further inquiries have still to bo completed, but tho Department will certainly take tho necessary action if those inquiries result as I anticipate."