REMARKABLE QUARREL.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1875, 20 March 1913, Page 5

REMARKABLE QUARREL.

DEFIANT HOSPITAL BOARD. HIDES GIRL FROM POLICE. APPEAL FOR ENQUIRY.

JPresa Association. —By Telegraph New Plymouth, Last Night. Allegations of a grave nature in connection with the administration of the Infant Life Protection Act were made at yesterday's meeting of the Tarankai Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The trenble is over fa respect- - able young girl under the care of the Board, who (according to the Hospital Board's contention) is in the fullest possession of her faculties, and who, it is alleged, was literally hounded to earth by certain Government officials desirous of committing her to a home for mentally defective •- girls. An officer of the Education Department contended that the girl was mentally unfit, and sought/ to remove • her from the control of the Board, as the Board, being convinced of its own mind (and having expert assurance) that the girl was '■quite rational and of unblemished •haracter, fought the departmental ukase tooth the nail, even going to the length of ignoring a warrant for the girl's arrest, and hiding her from the police. As an upshot of a long and, at times, acrimonious discussion the following motion was unanimously carried, moved by Mr Maxwell:— "That the Board request* that a searching inquiry be held into the condition of affairs that permits the perpetration of such a gross injustice as is shown to have taken place in the case of the girl; and further, : that the removal of the officers immediately responsible is demanded." Mr A. H. Halcombe then moved: "That the Minister of Justice be requested to stay the warrant for the •arrest of th child for admitting her to a mental defective home pending -the inquiry asked for by the Board." This was seconded by Mr J. Brown ;and was also carried unanimously.