MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19198, 14 June 1924, Page 7

MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. AUCKLAND -SITTINGS CONCLUDED. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 13. The Mental Defectives Commission concluded its Auckland sittings this morning. Miss Girdlor, superintendent of St. Mary's Home, Otahuhu. which provide for young mothers with illegitimate children or for infants born of defective parents, and take care of infants during emergencies, states that by the rules a girl had to remain there six months after the birth of her child. In nine cases during the past two years the ages of mothers were under 16 years; in seven cases the child died ; and in at least five cases the child had some definite peculiarity. Of 22 children, at least seven were below the standard of development for their age. The home had no coirs 1 ilutional power to control the inmates, and many, after a few months, wanted to return to their old life. Reformatory work was seriously interfered with bv the parents, who sought to benefit by girls* labour, often in the milking shed. Difficulty was experienced with subnormal or deficient children, which existing schools for defectives do not admit till six years of age. The Rev. F. R. Jeffries (formerly probation officer) said that one of the root causes of delinquency was lack of proper control and home restraint. Mr J. W. Poynton (magistrate) said it was monstrous that defective couples should lie allowed to produce offspring. The only alternative was lifelong segregation. If voluntary sterilisation were allowed it might gradually accustom the public mind lo the right way of dealing with the evil. There would be separate institutions for mental defectives. Three-fourths of the criminals liberated on license committed breaches of licenses. Permanent segregation was the proper treatment. Sterilisation would never be tolerated in New Zealand. A certificate of health in respect of marriage would bo a failure as couples would live together unwodded. Mr N. 11. S. Law’ (head master of the Normal School) urged special classes for backward children. 1 Dr It. M. Beattie (superintendent of the Auckland Menial Hospital) urged farm colonies for the feeble-minded of both sexes with provision for proper training and recreation. He would let them marry under certain conditions. Seventy per cent, of imbecility was caused by accident’ at birth. He favoured compulsory sterilisation under the supervision of at least three medicos, and perhaps later after the second offence of perversion that treatment should be compulsory. Dr D. B. B. Murray (medico for the Prisons Department) favoured segregation of chronic offenders against morality and decency. The Commission will sit at Hamilton tomorrow.