MENTAL HYGIENE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1930, Page 7

MENTAL HYGIENE

INTERNATIONAL CONFESS

AUCKLAND, April 7

An appeal to New Zealand 10 send a representative to the first internation,l congress on mental hygiene at Wash.ngton, commencing on May oth, and o take advantage to the discussions upon modern methods of treatment of nervous disorders, was made by Dr. Ralph Noble, psychiatrist, of Sydney, .vim is a through passenger on the Niagara. Dr. Noble is travelling to A'ashington as the representative of he Commonwealth Government to this ■onterence.

“It is the first congress of the kind .hat has ever been held,” Dr Noble iaid. Preparations had been in progress for some years, and delegates ,rom most countries in the world •vould attend. The mental hygiene Movement commenced twenty years igo, and since its inception there had jeen much progress in psychiatry, especially in the' direction of child guidmce and the prevention of nervous .lisorders.

The British Medical Association Congress, held in Dunedin two years ago, and also a similar congress held in Sydney last year, both recommended the formation of a mental hygiene council in Australia, and New Zealand. A definite commencement was made in New Zealand in February last. Dr A. R. Falconer, of Dunedin is ' honorary secretary of the New Zealand Council. At the recent congress of the British Medical Association at Christchurch, resolutions were passed urging the Government to send a delegate to the international mental congress at Wash.ngton.

“It will be a great- pity jf the inspiration of this important meeting of representatives of most of the countries of the civilised world is lost to New Zealand,” Dr Noble said. The Dominion Government bad been given the opportunity of sending an official representative, an invitation having been extended through the British Government. If a trained psychiatrist could even at this late hour be''spilt to represent the Dominion, this country would benefit far beyond tliefcost entailed.