MENTAL DEFECTIVES

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 4

MENTAL DEFECTIVES

THE STERILISATION PROPOSAL AUSTRALIAN VIEWS. ' Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, SijLS-EV, July IP. Tho ‘ Guardian ’ newspaper gathered medical and oilier opinions concerning tho propriety of sterilisation lor degenerates on the lines of the New Zealand legislation, which has just been published here Dr Watson Monro expressed the opinion that sterilisation was a leap into tho mist. What was wanted was parental care to secure healthy offspring, as injuries to the brain often occurred at birth. Mr MHntosh, a solicitor, approved of the New Zealand legislation, and added that it would be exercised under rigorous supervision. What New Zealand proposed to do was scientific. The ilov. Mr Doran, chairman of the Congregational Union, thought that Now Zealand was acting upon sound lines, and it would do New South Wales no harm to try it. Facts must be faced. The Rev. Mr Grant, a Presbyterian, states; “ i don’t shudder at what Now Zealand is doing; we should take a leaf out of her book.” The Rev. Mr Connolley, an Anglican, said: “Tho church clearly stands for the full value of human life and personality. Sterilisation is pagan in practice and dangerous to the social UUir.” Another opinion is that of an unnamed Cabinet Minister, who declared that sterilisation had given no conclusive proof of success abroad, and its inclusion in new laws hero was extremely unlikely. [The discussion-on the second reading of tho Mental Defectives’ Amendment Bill was taken in tho House of Representatives last night.]