MENTAL DEFECTIVES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1928, Page 4

MENTAL DEFECTIVES

AM IMPORT AMT BILL. MANY NEW PROPOSALS. WELLINGTON, July 17. Advanced social legislation dealing with tlic care of mental defectives based oil recommendations of the 1924 Commission, and the report and suggestions of Dr T. G. Gray, In-spector-General of Mental Hospitals, as a result of his recent trip abroad, is contained in the Mental Defectives Amendment Bill read a first time in the House of Representatives to-day. The main provisions , include the establishment of the Mental Hospitals Department- as a separate Department of State, the creation of a new class of mentally defective persons to be known as the socially defective, the constitution of a special hoard to have control over certain classes of 111011tally defective persons, alternative procedure for the admission of patients to mental hospitals, and the voluntary sterilisation of registered persons. The new Department is to be under tlic control of the Minister for Health with a Director-General and Deputy Direc- | tor-General of Mental Hospitals as the chief administrative officers, and such superintendents, medical practitioners, nurses, attendants, etc., ns may be required.

Persons socially defective are classed in the Bill as those persons who suffer from mental deficiency, associated with or manifested by anti-social conduct and who require supervision for their own protection, or in the public interest. . The Minister for Health (Hon. Mr Young), when explaining the Bill in the House to-day, snid that this classification really covered the eases of those who were feeble-minded, a very essential classification. Tbe alternative procedure for the admission of patients to the mental hospitals was designed, the Minister said, to remove the possible odium of Police Court association when committal warrants are being obtained from a Magistrate. It was an extension\of the present emergency procedure, which was used 112 I timos last year. Under the new legis- j lation it will be permissible to have a j patient accepted by a mental hospital j on an application supported by two j medical certificates. Within twenty- 1 four hours after the reception the I superintendent is to forward copies of the application, and the certificate, together with an expression of his own opinion concerning the patient, to the Magistrate for his decision. The Minister said that probably the most important- clauses of the Bill were those dealing with the Beard which is to exercise supervision over certain classes of mentally defective persons who are not classified “persons of v.nsdund mind,” or persons mentally infirm. The Board is to consist of tlw Director-General of Mental Hospital.?, (chairman), tl|p Director-General o: Health, the Director of Education, the Controller-General of Prisons, a medical officer of the Mental Hospitals Do partment, who has had special psychiatric training, one woman, and another appointee recommended hv social service organisations. For the. lnst two

members tlie period of appointment is for three years. The Board is to be charged with the compilation of a register of the .names of all mentally defective persons resident in New Zealand, who, not being of unsound mind or mentally infirm, may be classified as idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded, epileptics, or socially defective. To assist in the compilation of the register the Director of Education will be required to furnish returns of school children suffering from retarded mental development, deficiency, and the disorder of epilepsy. The return is to include children whose educational development is retarded to the extent of two years and more and others whom he has reason to believe are not attending school because of epilepsy or other mental diseasi/. Returns of a similar nature are to be forwarded by the Controller-General of Prisons re lating to mentally defective prisoners. The Board is to make enquiry before adding a name to the register, and provision is made for appeal against registration to a Judge of the Supreme Court in Chambers. There is also provision for the removal of names 'when circumstances so warrant.

The marriage of registered persons is to ho prohibited under the Bill, the Registrars of Marriages being charged with the duty of refusing a certificate to marry if they believe that either or both of the applicants are on the register. The penalty for an offence against this section is fixed at £IOO, and any person assisting to procure such a marriage is liable. The duty is also enjoined on the parents or guardians of immediately notifying the Registrar if they learn that the markings of registered persons is contemplated. The Bill seeks to make it an indictable offenc© to have carnal knowledge of a girl or woman on the register, and the duties of parents and guardians in this respect are set out.- If the Bill becomes law it will be an offence punishable by a fine of £SO to supply liquor to mental defectives, except for medicinal purposes. Special homes may be provided exclusively for the reception and treatment of registered persons.

If in the public interest it thinks it advisable to do so, the Board -may authorise the sterilisation of registered persons. The consent of the parents or guardians is to bo obtained in the case of minors, and of persons who arc so mentally unfit as not to understand the nature and consequence of the operation. In all other cases the operation requires the consent of the patient. “ What do you hope to achieve by sterilisation?” asked Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central), when the Minister was explaining this part of the Bill. The Minister: It will prevent the propagation of a particular type. Ihe feeble-minded are very prolific. Mr Fraser: You are setting up a Board of God Almighty’s. The Minister said he thought the House and the country would regard the Bill as a signal step forward in social reform. He could assure members that the Government was moving forward very warily. No attempt was Ijcing made at experimentation. It was an honest endeavour to solve a difficulty with which the country was confronted. Mr W. F. Parry: You are asking for it! The final clauses of the Bill provide for tlio recognition of social service organisations, and for contributions from the State towards their expenses.