MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20454, 6 November 1934, Page 13

MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Criticism of Act by the Chief Justice. Per Pr*«B Association. WELLINGTON, November 5. Difficulties in the way of dealing with a prisoner as a result of what he said seemed to be serious defects in the Mental Defectives Act, 1911, in its relation to the Crimes Act, were mentioned by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in the Supreme Court to-day when a Maori woman was placed in the dock for sentence on a charge of arson. Mr P. S. Macassey, Crown Prosecutor, said that the woman was in the dock for sentence. Sit Michael Myers stated that he was told on Friday that she was not fit to come up for sentence and to-day she was. Evidence was given by Dr Williams, superintendent of the Porirua Mental Hospital, that the woman's condition varied very quickly. The Chief Justice said he did not think that accused should be sent lo prison, and he admitted her to proba-

.ion for twelve months, thus placing the responsibility for her welfare on the authorities. Mr Macassev said that an application would be made for the woman’s committal to a mental institution. Sir Michael Myers remarked that if the woman were committable under the Mental Detectives Act he had no power jto commit her. As he had said, the ; responsibility for her being looked after ! must rest with the authorities.