MENTAL HYGIENE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1929, Page 6

MENTAL HYGIENE

DOMINION COUNCIL FOR MED

IMPORTANT DECISION

WELLING a ON, February 21

An. important step forward, and one which should have- a far-reaching effect in any future legislation in regard to mental defectives, has hern taken at the conference of the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association in its decision to foi in a New Zealand Council for mental hygiene. The decision to form the council was reached to-day, and this body will link up with the International Council. The objects will follow the same lines as the British Mental Council, namely: (1) To promote a critical study of the social life, industrial life and environments of the people, with a viev to eradicating those factors which lean to mental ill-health and unhappiness. (2) To investigate the various causes, physical and psychological, underlying failures of social adjustments. ,(3) To consider the extent to which clinical- psychology' may contribute towards the elucidation of the problems of habitual criminality. . (4) From the standpoint of prophylaxis. most important of all. to study the mental hygiene of child hfc in relation to parental responsibility. New Zealand is the last Englishspeaking country to join the International Council, which has decided to hold an international congress in Washington from Monday. May 5. to Saturday, May 10, at which it is hoped New Zealand will he represented.