MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17501, 7 September 1928, Page 9

MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

ADDRESS BY REY. P. PARIS. A GREAT PROBLEM. At the meeting of the W.G.T.U. yesterday afternoon, over which Mrs J. M. Jones, J.P., presided, an Interesting address was delivered by Rev. P. Paris on the proposed Mental Defectives Bill. lion. J. A. Young (Minister of Health) and Dr. Gray were to be complimented j on bringing down a measure seeking to deal with one of the greatest problems of to-day, said Mr Paris. Tho speaker quoted the views of Dr. Chappie, a New Zealander, who was now in England, on the fertility of the unfit. It tiad been found that mentally defective parents were prone to rearing large families which ultimately became a burden on the State. Mr Paris pointed out that it had been shown that fully 00 per cent, of prisoners in America were found to he unbalanced, and these unfortunates might easily have been saved by correct treatment. Men who were at pro-, sent a menace lo society could he turned into useful and honourable citizens. The Bill provided for the protection of that type of man and the limiting of their increase. Mr Paris then went into a detailed explanation of the constitution of the Eugenics Board. He strongly criticised the inclusion of the Controller-General of Prisons, as his presence on the board savoured of the criminal touch. One point to he emphasised, continued the speaker, was that in ail appeals to the Supreme Court against the decision of the Eugenics Board no charge should he made, so that the poor, as well as the rich, could be sure of redress. The term “social defective’’ was very misleading, in the opinion of Mr Paris. Many individuals considered cranks in certain directions would come under this heading. Christ Himself, said the speaker, would have been termed a social defective in his day. The important question, of sterilisation was briefly outlined. He had been told by a reliable source that the operation was not a serious one, and men could return to work the same day, although in the case of women the operation was not so slight. Concluding, Mr Paris pointed out that the consent of the person con-i cerned was necessary before the operation could be performed.