Social Menaces May Be Sterilised

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 409, 18 July 1928, Page 1

Social Menaces May Be Sterilised

MENTAL DEFECTIVES BILL MR. FRASER SCEPTICAL (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Far-reaching proposals, including sterilisation in certain instances, are embodied in the Mental Defectives Amendment Bill, submitted to the House to-day. "What do you hope to achieve by this sterilisation stuff?” asked Mr. P. Fraser, during the discussion. Inviting the Minister*, the Hon. J. A. Young, to outline the provisions of the Bill, Mr. Fraser said it was possible to do infinite harm in an attempt to do good, and to create a thousand more complex problems, in an attempt to solve one. The Minister, after stating that the Bill provided for the compilation of a register of certain mentally defective persons, said it further provided for less painful methods of committal than those now in vogue. The atmosphere of the police court would be entirely separated from the new system, by which committals could be effected on the authority of two doctors, supported later by a third, and the superintendent of the asylum concerned. After the committal all papers covering the case would be reviewed by a magistrate. A special board would be appointed to inquire into cases from time to time. Marriage between mentally defective persons would not be permitted except under special circumstances, and if it were thought by the board that any person should not bear children, simple measures to effect sterilisation could be authorised.

“We are moving warily, on sound lines rather than lines of heroic experiment,” said the Minister. Questioned by Mr. Fraser, he said the sterilisation proposals would be given the fullest discussion by the House. They wanted to stop propagation of weak types. Mr. Fraser: You should set up a board of God almighties.