CARE OF MENTAL DEFECTIVES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1929, Page 2

CARE OF MENTAL DEFECTIVES

THE NEW ACT. GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS EXPLAINED. (By Telegraph—Prase Avssociation). AUCKLAND. January 1. Amplfying his remarks concerning the Government’s intentions as to the Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, which is now in force, the'Minis ter of Health states:— “ There is obviously some misconeep lion, not only as to the provisions ol the Act, hut in regard to the method;' likely to lie adopted in its practical application. It would appear that sour people are expecting sudden and drastic alterations in the methods at present employed in dealing with menta defectives, hut I think it will be fount that the responsible officers are Fully alive to the need of cautious advance and that every care will be taken ti exercise the powers conferred by the Act in a manner which will tend to secure public confidence and co-opera tion.

“ Certain sections of the Act have reference to the method of admission to mental hospitals, but these sections df not abolish or alter the method now most generally employed to obtain admission, which consists of certification by two medical men and committal by a* Magistrate. The existent method remains, hut the old urgency section, under which a person could be admitted) on the application of a relative accompanied by one medical certificate has been repealed, and it is now necessary to have two certificates before a patient leaves home, and, in addition, a special certificate from the medical superintendent on arrival at the institution-

“In passing, it may he said that a case recently mentioned by Miss England was not sent to Porirua on one medical certificate, as alleged. The lady in question was examined by two leading Wellington medical men and a Magistrate, and other investigations were made prior to her departure to Porirua. (The case o’f another lady who was recently refused admission to Porirua illustrates the care which is taken in regard to this matter by the Department’s medical officers.

“ There is. no possible method of preventing unscrupulous persons from making applications for committals, hut, as the Magistrate in dealing with this particular case said, there are saleguards against' such cases being actually committed or admitted to the in stitution. The new alternative method will ’obviate tlie need for the Magistrate’s examination to take place at the Courthouse, and this will undoubtedly be a great relief to those faced with the painful and embarrassing duty of placing relatives under care for mental trouble. This alternative procedure comes into operation on January 1.

“ The main purpose of the Act is to secure care, treatment and training lor those who are congenitally mentally deficient, in institutions where institutional care is necessary apart from those primarily intended for care and treatment of persons suffering from mental disorders. The separation ol those classes whose problems are very different marks a big advance. Hie more one studies this problem, the more One is impressed with its magnitude, and the many different aspects from which the whole subject must lieviewed in order to got the proper perspective, but the si’ce and difficulty el the problem are no justification for shirking an attempt at its solution. Certain necessary preliminaries are already under way. and informal discussions have taken place between myself and the Inspector-General as to rr forms considered necessary, in regard particularly to the case of adolescent defectives of the delinquent class. Concrete action will be possible only after the board created under the Ac! has given consideration to the whole question.”