MENTAL DEGENERATES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 644, 1 March 1923, Page 5

MENTAL DEGENERATES.

TREATMENT RECOMMENDED. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb., 28. Surgical treatment for the elimination of mental degenerates was one of tEo recommendations placed before tho Hospital Board to-day by the hospital committee. In a special report the committee recommended the board to ask the Government to bring down legislation covering the following recommendations(l) Making provision in the marriage laws that prior to the issue of a marriage license the contracting parties must sign a statutory declaration that they aro free from transmissible disease; (2) as to whether a tribunal of experts should not be set up to consider each case before discharge from the mental hcj.piial, to determine whether prior to return to family life stops should bo taken by sterilisation or other means to prevent reproduction. The board was further recommended to ask the Government to open homes for young girls of the uncontrollable type and also to establish homes for feeble-minded adults. The committee fully endorsed the recommendations made by the Prisons Board in 1921 in favour of an amendment of the Crimes Act under which , such offenders could be dealt with scientifically (1) before sentence is pronounced by furnishing expert medical or surgical evidence; (2) by •sanctioning an indeterminate sentence; (3) by segregating persons so sentenced and subjecting them under proper safeguards to any medical or surgical treatment which may be deemed necessary or expedient, either for their own good or in the public interest.

The evidence was summarised showing that the loading medical and social workers favoured the proposals of the committee. Tho report was adopted.