SEXUAL DEGENERACY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3686, 3 September 1927, Page 2

SEXUAL DEGENERACY.

TREATMENT PROBLEM

MORE KNOAVLEDGE REQUIRED. The problem of how best to deal with sexual degenerates is briefly referred to by the Inspector-Gener-al of Mental Hospitals (Sir F. Truby King) in his annual report. In regard to the work of the Committee on Sexual Offenders which reported on the subject a few .years ago, Sir Truby King says that most of the American authorities appeared to the Committee to have been losing their primary faith of late years in the advisability and practicability of extensively enforcing extreme measures —at least ..until more knowledge on the subject ,'was available. The most authoritative English opinion was found to be generally in the same direction; but. in New Zealand, on the other hand, popular opinion has rather inclined to the view that compulsory segregation and sterilisation would prove a simple and beneficent pan- . acea, and would practically wipe out in a few generations most forms of degeneracy, insanity, and criminality, the only steps necessary being the passing of a simple Act of Parliament, and the appointment, with . full powers, of a special Court, presided over by a competent psychiatrist and a capable Judge. The English tendency in all such matters lias always been extremely cautious and conservative —probably too conservative —but it should be borne in mind that hasty legislation, authorising compulsory mutilation or deprivation of liberty, . without ample safeguards and clear warranty, would inevitably discredit and set back desirable and. desired reforms, as has already occurred to some extent elsewhere. “Granted sufficient time for a competent committee to be appointed to consider with Dr. Gray, the local evidence which came before the previous committee, together with the reports they received from outside; and granted also ample time and opportunity to reconsider the whole situation with Dr. Gray, in the light of his direct personal knowledge of the subject, to which so much has been added during the last year —granted all these advantages, the New Zealand Government would, I am confident, be in a far better position to deal satisfactorily with these profoundly difficult and almost insoluble problems than any other country in the world,” says Sir Truby King. “This would be' the natural result of wisely delaying definite action until fully informed and soundly and authoritatively advised.”