MENTAL DISEASES BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 1035, 16 August 1911, Page 5

MENTAL DISEASES BILL.

D3SCUSSED IN COMMITTEE.

By Telegraph—i'ms Association

WELLINUi'ON, Last Night

Tho House of Representatives this afternoon went into Committee on the Mental Defectives .Bill.

In clause 9, dealing with procedure in emergency, iMr EJI abjecited to a mentally defective person foeing taken to a Magistrate's Court for a reception order, as if they were criminals. The feelings of those connected with the patients should he spared as imuch as possible. The Hon. G. Fowlds' explained that there was a provision, in the Bill for a reception room at hospitals, though tins would not geit over the whole difficulty. There were cases or incipient trouble which could not be dealt with elsewhere •than at the Police Count. In many only authorities for the 'care and control of the public were the police. - Mr -.Russell suggested that- f era ale officers should be i.n. attendance when female patients were (concerned. Experts off the Department should come in at the beginning. The police should not have to do such duties.

Replying to Mr Malcolm, the Hon. G. 'Fowlds said he was not averse to having a special clause inserted later in the Bill, prohibiting a doctor financially interested from signing a certificate. /

The clause was adopted. ' Mr Wright moved an amendment to subnsecition 4 of section 33, to substitute the words "two judges of the Supreme for Govemor-in-Counoil.

The Hon. G. Fowlds said it would bo .most unconstitutional to rtake the functions cf pronouncing on life or death, or ■imiririso.nnient for life, out cf the hands of the Govemor-in-Couneil.

The amendment was lost on the voices.

The Minister added a new ,subclause to clause 42, to give nim power to transfer any superintendent or medical officer from one institution to another.

'Replying to Mr Wright, the Hon. G. Fowlds stated that .steps had been taken to prevent a recurrence of typhoid at the Porirua Mental Hospital. No stone would he left unturned' in the matter.

Clause 69, dealing with vision,?, evoked a request from. Mr Russeil for further facilities in this r-onnee*. tion.

Mr 'Fowlds replied ihat it was his intention to further extend the sj sitem of visitation.

The Minister amended sub-?!,iu.se 4, the clause providing for the forwarding of a wrtafieate pursuant to sub-section 5 of section 122. Sub-clause 5 of clause 78 was altered to provide for an escaped patient (being returned »to the institution.

Mr Fowlds moved a new clause that nothing in the Act would affect the provisions of section. 11 of the Educaton Amendment Act, 1910, relating to epileptic land feeble-minded children.; and any minor received into an institution under the Act may ibe sent to any special school within, ithe meaning of the section, and isha.ll thereupon be subject to the provisions of the Education Amendment Act, 1910, and shall cease .to ibe subject to the provisions of (that part of the Act.— Carried. The Minister moved .to report progress for further consideration of the clause dealing with medical certificates. ' The Bill was reported.

Hoar, the Engineer stated that the bad weather was also responsible for die delay i.u forming the footpath in Corn-wall Street.

Cr Temple suggested that during the wet days, when, the staff oould not work outside, they might he employed inside a,nd make two-foot or three-foot lengths of curbing and channelling, which .he thought would •he cheaper than the ordinary way of laying the concrete. The Engineer did nrot consider it would be any cheaper to do> as Cr Temple suggested. The (matter then, dropped. •