WRONGFULLY DETAINED

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2899, 20 June 1925, Page 2

WRONGFULLY DETAINED

SOLDIERS IN MENTAL HOSPITALS. Dunedin, June 1!). The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association conference was continued from yesterday. Considerable business was done, the greater amount of time during the afternoon being occupied in hearing written charges made by Col. T. \V. McDonald in connection with soldier mental patients. This mati *r was dealt with privately. The question of the purchase of poppies for Poppy Day, 1926, was considered in committee. In connection with the South African and Ala.ori War veterans, it litis been decided that the Government he asked to give sympathetic consideration to the claims of veterans of the South African and Maori Wars who from the point of view of enlistment, tire long residents in New Zealand and who are in net'ess it mis circumstances and if necessary, legislation be asked in this direction. A great ileal of discussion centred round the organisation and constitution of the Association and the following remits were dealt with: Thai the present system of ami in lieu thereof, all Associations of one hundred financial members ot more be entitled to direct represensation at the Dominion conferi nee ; that it is not in any way advisable to raise any change in the venue of Association headquarters (Outgo). That the constitution ns to a Dominion executive committee remains as at present, but that rule -i ! he amended so that meetings of the committee are called at the disere! ion of the Dominion president, according to the necessity or upon renin-si (if th(> majority of the members of the committee: that the constitution of the executive standing .-.nb-eommittee remains as at present: that this conference affirms its definite policy that Anzac Day lie observed on April 25 (Auckland ). That this conference is of opinion that tiie Association should continue its policy of impressing upon the Government the necessity of the establishment ami maintenance of an efficient force '(Wellington). in conned ion with Col. AleDonaiii’s allegations concerning soldier mental patients, after the hearing of the report and a lengthy dis- < itssion, it was decided: “That this Council, having considered the report of the standing sub-committee upon the charges made by Col. AlcDotmhl against the Government at a meeting of the Wellington As--ociation held on June 1. 1924, in connection with the commitment of the returned soldiers to mental hospitals, Lads as follows. Charge one:

“That from 191(1 to 1919, certain soldiers were illegally detained in mental hospitals for varying periods, in contravention of the provisions of the Alental Defectives Act, 1911" —Hading that the charge is proved. Charge 2: "That when representations were made to the Government on the above subject during the period aforesaid, the Minister of the Crown misrepresented the position to the Returned Soldiers' Association ami to Parliament." — Finding that certain statements made by the .Ministers, as above, were substantially incorrect. Charge 3: "That when a commission was set up by the Government to inquire into the complaint of a certain soldier that he had illegally been detained, as aforesaid, the Commissioner exonerated the officials who were responsibk for the wrong done to the man and stigmatised the complainant as suffering from a form of mental disorder."—Finding is that this Council does not timl any reason to impugn tiie bona lides of the Commissioner win, investigated this complaint, blit it is satisded that the whole of the i acts were not before the Commissioner: that the officials concerned took their original action, although illegal, believing such action to he in the best interests of the soldiers concerned and that tile Wellington Association he informed aceording|v. The Council therefore directs headquarters to approach proper authorities immediately so that appropriate action may be taken.”