MINISTER’S INDIGNATION

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1930, Page 6

MINISTER’S INDIGNATION

mental hospital control FALSE CERTIFICATION ALLEGED. MR. LY'SNA'R’S CHARGE RESENTED. DENIAL OF the INCIDENT CITED.. ( By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. “In effect Mr. Lysnar has accused medical officers of institutions under my control of an indictable offence. It is now incumbent upon him to give names and particulars in order that an inquiry may be made and justice done to the victims of this alleged outrage,” This wgs the comment of the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, when his attention was drawn to remarks reported in a newspaper. The Dominion, to have 'been made by Mr. W. D. Lysnar, M.P., in the course of the House of Representatives debate on the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill.

Mr. Lysnar was reported to have stated that (1) he knew of cases where hundreds had been sent to mental hospitals by their -wives for purposes of divorce, (2) unless these persons had friends outside the institutions they would probably remain there ten years, (3) one case had come under his notice recently of a woman who had been put into an asylum by her husband. Mr. Lysnar said he had interceded for her less than two years ago and the result was that to-day she walking the streets of Wellington with nothing the matter with her.

The Minister said he had investigated these statements and none of them appeared to have tho slightest foundation in faet.

Replying to them categorically he sftid:

“Tf Mr. Lysnar knew of any such case it was surely incumbent upon him to make proper representations to the Minister in charge of the department and to supply names and particulars in order* that an inquiry may be made and justice done to the victims of the alleged outrage.

“The statement in effect accuses medical officers of the institutions referred to of an indictable offence and it is a very serious matter indeed. The medical ■superintendent of a mental hospital is required under our New Zealand Act to certify to the mental condition of all patients admitted to his (institution and the making of a false statement in this respect is an indictable offence under Section 125 of the Act.

“Mr. Lysnar has made no representations to me on behalf of any female who has been discharged from any mental hospital since I have cocupied the position of Minister of Health. I am further advised on inquiry by the Dir-ector-General of Ment'al Hospitals that no female patient has been discharged from any mental hospital in the Dominion during the past, say, five years in response to an intercession of Mr. Lysnar.

Mr. Stall Worthy expressed the hope that Mr. Lysnar had not been correctly reported, but as the statements attributed to him were contrary to fact, and ■likely to have a damaging effect upon the reputation of mental hospitals, he was bound to take the earliest opportunity of refuting them.