"A SAD POSITION."
DIRE COMMITTED TO GAOL. ('liristeluireh, 21 st Oetobor. When an order was ma-de in the Magistrate'- Court, Christchurch, this morning committing her to gaol. Millicenl Ryan, twenty-three year- of age, fell on to the floor of the dock in an hysterical tit. Tin* charge against her was that on 13th October, at Christchurch, -lie attempted to commit suicide by attempting to drown herstlf in the river. The Magi-trate (Mr Wyvern Wilson! asked if the Health Department bad been communicated with in regard to the girl’s state of health. Senior-Sergeant l.ewin said that the police, -o far. had taken no aciion in that direction. The Magistrate -.aid that under the Health Act, of 1920, there \vapower for the district health officer ro place the girl in some hospital for treatment. The Magistrate’- powers were not a- wide as thev-miglil be. TTe did unj feel like committing the girl io prison for attempting to commit suicide, -imply in order that she could he kept in detention until cured. This was another instance of the unworkable state of the New Zealand law covering persons suffering from contagious di--efisc. There was not sufficient cheek upon them. He did not wish to send the girl to prison, but if he did mu there was grave danger that -lie would not gel treatment.
j The law provided that person- ali.lompting to commit suicide might be -enl to gaol for a period not exceeding one year, hut the provision was never pul into force. After consultation with the Salvation Army officer, the Magistrate •said that the district health officer had certain powers, and if the police placed tlie statement as to her health before him he might order (he girl to lie detained in the hospital until mired. The trouble was lliiil they had no hospital where these eases wore treated. It was very difficult; the law made provision that these cases should go to a hospital, but no hospital would take them. The Magistrates had to do the best they could. “Under the circumstances the best. I can do out of consideration for the girl’s own physical health," -aid Mr Wilson, “is to formally sentence her to twelve hours’ imprisonment. As she will ihen he formally in prison, I can make an order for her detention until cured.”
Addressing ilu* girl, Mr Wilson continued: ‘‘l am afraid I shall have 1o make ail order for your detention in gaol because no other hospital will take you. • It is a sad position.”
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2498, 26 October 1922, Page 2
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418"A SAD POSITION." Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2498, 26 October 1922, Page 2
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