MENTAL PATIENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1925, Page 7

MENTAL PATIENTS.

TREATMENT OF EX-SOLDIERS ECHO OF RECENT COMMISSION. VIEW OF THE R.S.Aa By Telegraph —Press ABsociatloß. Dunedin, Last Night. The hearing of written charges made by Colonel T. W. McDonald in connection with soldier mental patient* occupied a considerable time to-day at the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned (Soldiers’ Association. After a lengthy discussion, which was taken privately, it wan decided: “That this council, having considered the report of the standing sub-committee upon the charges made by Colonel McDonald against the Government at a meeting of the Wellington Association held on June 4, 1924, in connection * with the commitment of returned soldiers to mental hospitals, finds as follows: Charge I.—That from 1916 to 1919 certain soldiers were illegally detained in mental hospitals for varying periods in contravention of the provisions of ihe Mental Defectives Act, 1911. Finding: That the charge is proved. Charge 2.—Thar when representations wtre made to the Government on the , above subject during the period aforej said, Ministers of the Crown represented i the petition to the Returned Soldiers’ I Association and to Parliament. Finding: I hat certain statements made by Ministers as above were substantially incorrect.

Charge 3. —That when a commission was set up by the Government to inquire into the complaint of a certain soldier that he had been illegally detained as aforesaid, the commission exonerated the officials who were responsible for the wrong done to the man and stigmatised the complainant as suffering from a form of mental disorder. Finding: That this council does not find any reason to impugn the bona tides of the commissioner who investigated this complaint, but it is satisfied that the whole facts were not before the commissioner; that the officials concern-, cd took their original action, although illegal, believing such action to foe in the best interests of the soldiers concerned; that the Wellington Association be informed accordingly. The council therefore directs headquarters to approach the proper authorities immediately so that appropriate action may be taken.