STERILISATION PLAN

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1935, Page 3

STERILISATION PLAN

MENTAL DEFECTIVES’ CASES. MODIFIED SUPPORT GWEN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, March 6. A paper on sterilisation for mental defectives was read at the Hospital Boards’ Association conference to-day by Dr. T. G. Gray. Director-General of Mental Hospitals. Dr. Gray distinguished between mental disorder and mental deficiency and said that in the case of the former he would oppose any generalised proposal for sterilisation or even prohibition of marriage. Dr. Gray explained the exact meaning of sterilisation, distinguishing between it and castration, which he described as a much more extreme operation. In cases of mental deficiency he did not think that sterilisation would be of great benefit to the community as a whole, though he was of the opinion that there were many cases where it would be a benefit to the individuals concerned.

After a brief discussion the following amendment by Mr. Homblow, of Wellington, was carried :“That the matter be referred to the executive to confer with the representatives of the Health and Mental Hospitals’ Departments with a view to furthering public opinion in favour of voluntarily sterilisation of certain types of mental defectives.”