MENTAL DEFICIENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1932, Page 5

MENTAL DEFICIENTS

MINISTER’S VIEW

SUPPORTED BY FARMER’S WIVES

y-■ v/ ■■■ 4 . / ' , / (Per. Press Association— Copyright:)

WELLINGTON, July 12

•An amendment/ of the 4 ' Mental Deficients' Amendment Act of 1928, so as to provide for the sterilisation of k-us sexually defective -and "kor the prohibition of marriages between; ckilly-deficient persons, was. soughta deputation from the Women’s Division of tfie Farmers’ Union, which, waited upon th 6 Minister, of Health, iMr J. A. Young, to-day.

It wrs pointed out by the deputation, which comprised. Mrs C. C. Jackson, the Dominion President; and ' Mrs T. R. Barrer, the Vice-President, that theise provisions , were contained in the original draft of the Bill, but that they had been AvithdraAvn. It was stated 1 ' by the deputation that women’s organisations a'-l over the .country favoured (the enactment of leg'slntion -nl-ong 4 these lines asked by the deputation.

deputation Avas introduced by Mr >R. A. Wright, M.P. yy?s Vi

The Minister said ’ that ( he appreciated the fact that the Women’* Division of the Farmers’ Union woe thljing an interest in that question, Ho said that ■lie had introduced this measure in Parliament in 1928, and he felt that, even although the twp clause* the deputation referred to had been dropped, the Act, as passed, had marked' a most decided advance.

He said that when the Bill was before the House, opposition td it had com 6 from unexpected quarters at the last minute, and, in order to get the measure through at -all, lie had been obliged to agree to the withdra-wal y of. the two clauses they had mentioned., He had, he -said, considered this measure a great necessity. One of the most vital parts of the Act was the definition of a social defective. In spite of the fact that this definition had aroused much opposition from a certain section at the time that the -Bill Avas ber tfore Parliament, it Avas now recognised as a standard throughout the. world. He had wished to see the .Bill passed in its original form, as >he considered that /it was necessary.-; ' ".(•/

Mr Young , said that he was pleased to see that an effort Avas being made to direct public opinion on this question, as he Avas not sure that it was necessary. | •(- : ' (■ j Mr Young said that should there be objections to sterilisation on religious grounds, there Ayas po reason .why iJL should (not be arranged that, .religious scruples should not be offended,/# there Avere opposition among any sect. Sterilisation, he said, did not necessarily lessen immorality, but it did lessen evil consequences that might arise from immorality. He would be pleased to consider the questions raised, and to plac e . them before the Government to see whether legislation along the lines suggested could be prepared, He himself would like to see th^s e provisions made, but it was a- question Avhether Parliament would be prepared to assent' to them, 1 - ■(: •'. j -' . •