MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16485, 2 May 1925, Page 5

MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

SAD HUMAN DOCUMENT. DISQUIETING REVELATIONS. NATIONAL HERITAGE. By Telegram —Press •ssorrtntto*. WELLINGTON. Friday. The Committee of Inquiry appointed by the Minister of Health to investigate and report upon the necessity for special care and treatment of mental defectives and sexual offenders in New Zealand has completed the report of its findings, which are of intense interest to the Dominion, and is nowreleased for publication. The committee sat at Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, Walkcria, New Plymouth, Otekaike, Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch, Levin and Nelson, met on 35 days, heard 92 witnesses, visited 14 institutions, and spent many long hours in travelling. The whole report may be described as an intensely human document, of paramount importance to the general health and welfare of the community, and the findings will possibly find a reflex, if not in the next session of Parliament, in the near future.

The following is a summary of the committee’s findings and recommendations :— The committee finds—

1. Unchecked multiplication is leading to continually growing addition to sum of human misery, ever-increasing burden on State, and serious deterioration of race. 2. Would be sound economy, as well as in best interests of humanity, to deal with problem at once, even though involving substantial expenditure.

The committee recommends — 1. Addition to Act of “moral imbecile,” a definition in English Act. 2. Establishment of special branch Mental Hospitals Department to deal with mental defectives not inmates of mental hospitals, and to act as "aftercare” department to look after patients discharged from mental hospitals. 3. Appointment of Eugenics Board. 4. Registration under direction of the Board. 5. Care of backward and feebleminded children in educational stage to remain duty of Education Department.

6. Education Department to obtain services of psychological experts in connection with study of individual children in school.

7. Fuller provision in universities and colleges for education of teachers in child psychology and training for work in special schools. 8. Full use of residential special schools for cases not benefiting by special classes, but capable of training in manual work or handicrafts.

9. Education Department to report to Eugenic Board on cases not benefiting from residence in special schools, such children to be registered if deemed necessary. 10. Eugenic Board to have power to order removal of feeble-minded and moral imbeciles to farrp or industrial colony. 11. Right of appeal against registration, etc. 12. Establishment of farm or industrial colonies for such cases as may be profitably employed. 13. Sterilisation.—Operation In men can be carried out under local anaesthesia, and is free from risk. Analogous operation in women is abdominal operation, but risk not considered serious. In cases of persons who in their own interests and interests of others ought not to be allowed to reproduce, operation of sterilisation should be considered by Eugenic Board.

14. Eugenic Board to have power to make sterilisation a condition of release orremoval of name from register, but in no case should operation be performed without consent of parents or guardians. 15. Persons operated upon 'o be released on probation under supervision, and if relapse be shown to be returned to institutional care at discretion of Board.

16. Marriage with registered persons to be made Illegal, and should be indictable offence to have carnal knowledge of registered person. 17. Further precautions in the way of inquiry and supervision <|ver assisted immigrants and ordinary passengers.