PART I.--INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL.

SECTION 1.--ORIGIN AND SCOPE OF INQUIRY.

For a considerable time there has been a growing feeling of anxiety among the public owing to the number of mental defectives becoming a charge upon the State, and also the alarming increase in their numbers through the uncontrolled fecundity of this class. Furthermore, owing to the frequency of sexual offences, many of a most revolting character, there was a strong demand that some action should be taken to prevent further acts of this nature; it being suggested that the law should be altered to make it possible for surgical operations to be performed upon these offenders.

The North Canterbury Hospital Board considered the need for action in this matter so great that they set up a Committee to go into the question and take evidence, which was done, and various recommendations were made to the Government.

A perusal of departmental files reveals that many persons and social bodies have urged upon the Government the desirability of setting up a Committee or Commission of Inquiry to go into this subject.

The Minister of Health duly considered the representations made, and appointed the following Committee to inquire into the question:--

The Hon. W. H. Triggs, M.L.C. (Chairman). Sir Donald McGavin, Kt., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.D. (Lond.), F.R.C.S. (Eng.). Sir F. Truby King, Kt., C.M.G., M.B., B.Sc. (Public Health) (Edin.). J. Sands Elliott, Esq., M.D., Bac. Surg. (Edin.), Chairman of the Council of the British Medical Association (New Zealand Branch). Miss Ada G. Paterson, M.B., Ch.B. (N.Z.), L.M. (Dublin). C. E. Matthews, Esq., Under-Secretary for Justice and Controller-General of Prisons, &c. J. Beck, Esq., Officer in Charge, Special Schools Branch, Education Department.

The function and duty laid upon the Committee was as follows:--

(1.) To inquire and report as to the necessity for special care and treatment of the feeble-minded and subnormal, and to propose the general means by which such care and treatment, if any, should be provided.

(2.) To inquire and report as to the necessity for the treatment of mental degenerates and persons charged with sexual offences, and to recommend forms of treatment for the various types of cases.

The Minister of Health expressed his desire that the Committee should hear such evidence and representations on the above-mentioned matters as might be necessary fully to inform the Committee on the questions referred to it, and further suggested to the Committee that the various organizations and persons likely to be interested should be notified that the Committee would, at a certain place and date, hear any evidence they might desire to tender.

The following places were visited and inspected by the Committee: The Myers Special School, Auckland; the Waikeria Prison Reformatory; the Tokanui Mental Hospital, Waikeria; the New Plymouth Prison; the Boys' Training-farm, Weraroa; the Point Halswell Reformatory for Women, Wellington; the Special School for Girls, Richmond, Nelson; the Mental Hospital, Nelson; the Mental Hospital, Stoke, Nelson; the Te Oranga Home, Burwood, Christchurch; the Paparua Prison, Templeton; the Special School for Boys, Otekaike; the Caversham Industrial Home for Girls, Dunedin; the Borstal Institution, Invercargill.

Sittings were held at various centres in New Zealand, and a large number of witnesses were examined, as shown in the following table:--

-------------------------+------------------------------------------ Places and Dates of | Sittings. | Witnesses examined or Work done. -------------------------+------------------------------------------ Wellington, 23rd May, |Preliminary meeting. 1924. (Forenoon only) | Wellington, 30th May, |Dr. Clark, School Medical Officer, Napier. 1924. (Forenoon only) |Mr. J. Caughley, M.A., Director of Education. |Professor J. Tennant, Professor of Education, | Victoria College. Wellington, 2nd June, |Mr. N. R. McKenzie, Inspector of Schools, 1924. (Forenoon only) | Education Department. |Miss N. Valentine, Education Department. |Miss Barlow, Education Department. |Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, School Medical Officer, | Wanganui. Wellington, 4th June, |Mrs. McHugh, Health Patrol, Wellington. 1924. (Afternoon only) |Father McGrath, representing His Grace the | Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. |Mr. T. P. Mills, Superintendent, Presbyterian | Orphanage and Probation Officer. |Dr. Jeffreys, Medical Superintendent, Porirua | Mental Hospital. Auckland, 11th June, |Dr. Hilda Northcroft } Representing the 1924. |Dr. Kenneth MacKenzie } British Medical |Dr. E. Roberton } Association, | } Auckland Branch. |Dr. Mildred Staley. |Dr. J. R. Macredy, School Medical Officer, | Auckland. |Canon F. W. Young, Council of Christian | Churches, Auckland. |Dr. Fitt, Professor of Education, Auckland | University. |Mrs. Nicoll. |Mrs. Watson. Auckland, 12th June, |Dr. Milsom, representing the British Medical 1924. | Association, Auckland Branch. |Professor Anderson, Professor of Moral and | Mental Philosophy, Auckland University. |Mr. J. Cupit, Juvenile Probation Officer. |Mr. W. E. A. Gibbs. |Professor Sperrin-Johnson, Professor of | Biology, Auckland University. |Mr. H. Binstead, Lecturer on Psychology, | Training School, Auckland. |Rev. Jasper Calder. |Mr. W. S. J. Dales. |Dr. Wilkie, School Medical Officer, Auckland. Auckland, 13th June, |Sister Hannah, representing the National 1924. | Council of Women. |Miss M. Girdler, St. Mary's Home, Otahuhu. |Mr. C. W. Carter. |Rev. T. K. Jeffreys, Presbyterian Social | Service Association. |Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. |Mr. N. Law, Headmaster, Normal School. |Dr. Beattie, Medical Superintendent, | Auckland Mental Hospital. |Dr. D. N. Murray, Prison Medical Officer. |Visit of Inspection to the Myers Special | School, Queen Street, Auckland. Hamilton, 14th June, |Dr. Douglas. 1924. |Dr. F. S. Pinfold. |Mr. Phillip Goodwin, Juvenile Probation | Officer. Waikeria Reformatory, |Dr. H. L. Gribben, Superintendent, Waikeria 15th June, 1924. | Reformatory, and Medical Superintendent of | the Tokanui Mental Hospital. |Dr. MacPherson, Tokanui Mental Hospital. |Visit of inspection paid to Waikeria | Reformatory and Tokanui Mental Hospital. New Plymouth, |Miss Tootell, Boarding-out Officer, Wanganui. 25th June, 1924. |Dr. R. C. Brewster, Gaol Surgeon, New | Plymouth. |Mr. E. T. Holden, Secretary, New Plymouth | Hospital Board. |Visit paid to New Plymouth Prison. Otekaike, 2nd July, |Miss Wylie, Head Teacher of Special School. 1924. |Mr. William Meikleham, Manager of Special | School. |Visit paid to Special School for Boys and | Farm at Otekaike. Dunedin, 3rd July, |Mrs. Joan Murray, representing Society for 1924. | Protection of Women and Children. |Dr. E. Irwin, School Medical Officer. |Mr. J. Lock, Juvenile Probation Officer. |Dr. A. M. McKillop, Superintendent, Mental | Hospital, Seacliff. |Dr. A. R. Falconer, Medical Superintendent, | Dunedin Hospital. |Mr. G. M. Galloway, representing the Society | for Protection of Women and Children. Invercargill, 4th July, |Mr. M. Hawkins, Inspector of the Prisons 1924. | Department and Superintendent of the | Borstal Institution. |Mr. McCarroll, Juvenile Probation Officer, | Education Department. |Mr. Pryde, Secretary of the Hospital Board. |Mr. McLean, Hon. Secretary of the Prisoners | Aid Society. |Visit of inspection paid to Borstal | Institution and Farm. Dunedin, 5th July, 1924. |Visit of inspection paid to Caversham | Industrial School for Girls. Dunedin, 7th July, 1924. |Dr. Marshall McDonald } Representing the |Dr. Kenneth Ross } British Medical | } Association, | } Dunedin Branch. |Miss Ralston, Inspector of Industrial and | Special Schools. |Dr. Stuart Moore. |Mr. A. M. Paterson. Christchurch, 9th July, |Dr. F. V. Bevan-Brown, representing the 1924. | British Medical Association, Christchurch | Branch. |Dr. C. L. Nedwill, Prison Medical Officer. |Miss Cardale, representing the National | Council of Women. |Dr. A. C. Thomson, representing the British | Medical Association. |Rev. P. Revell, Secretary, Prison Gate | Mission. |Mrs. Herbert. |Miss Hunt, Superintendent, Addington | Reformatory. |Mr. J. A. Blank, Attendance Officer, | Education Department. |Miss Baughan, Official Visitor to the | Addington Reformatory. Christchurch, 10th July, |Dr. Crosbie, Medical Superintendent, 1924. | Mental Hospital. |Dr. Levinge. |Mr. Gumming, Juvenile Probation Officer, | Timaru. |Mr. William Reece, member of the Prisons | Board. |Professor Chilton, Professor of Biology, | Canterbury College. |Mr. C. T. Aschman, Headmaster, Normal School. |Miss Howlett, representing the National | Council of Women and Women's Christian | Temperance Union. |Miss Edwards, Manager of the Receiving Home, | Christchurch. |The Hon. G. W. Russell. |Visit of inspection paid to Te Oranga Home, | Burwood. Christchurch, 11th July, |Dr. Phillipps, School Medical Officer. 1924. |Professor Shelley, Professor of Education, | Canterbury College. |Mr. A. Bissett, Juvenile Probation Officer, | Christchurch. |Visit of inspection paid to Paparua Prison, | Templeton. Wellington, 15th July, |Colonel Bray, Secretary, Men's Department, 1924. (Forenoon only) | Social Service Work, Salvation Army. |Canon T. Feilden Taylor, Social Service | Department of Church of England. |Professor Kirk, Professor of Biology, | Victoria College. |Mr. F. S. Shell, Juvenile Probation Officer. Wellington, 16th July, |Dr. E. Fenwick, representing the British 1924. (Forenoon only) | Medical Association, Wellington Branch. |Mrs. Brigadier Glover, Salvation Army Prison | Officer and Probation Officer. |Miss Jean Begg. |Mr. R. W. Bligh, White Cross League | representative. Wellington, 24th July, |Visit of inspection to Point Halswell 1924. | Reformatory, Wellington. Levin, 5th August, 1924. |Visit of inspection to Boys' Training Farm, | Weraroa. Nelson, 22nd August, |Dr. Gray, Superintendent, Mental Hospital, 1924. | Nelson. |Visit of inspection to Special School for | Girls, Richmond. |Visit of inspection to Mental Hospital, | Stoke. |Visit of inspection to Mental Hospital, | Nelson. Wellington, 9th |Consideration of report. September, 1924. | (Forenoon only) | 12th September, 1924. | " 15th September, 1924. | " (Afternoon only) | 16th September, 1924. | " (Afternoon only) | 22nd September, 1924. | " (Afternoon only) | 6th October, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) | 13th October, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) | 22nd October, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) | 24th October, 1924. | " 28th October, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) | 29th October, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) | 5th November, 1924. | " (Forenoon only) |

It will thus be seen that, apart from time spent in travelling, the Committee have met on thirty-five days and have heard ninety-two witnesses in person.

The Committee would like to express their thanks to the witnesses, many of whom went to considerable trouble to collect information and prepare evidence. They are especially grateful to the British Medical Association for its willing co-operation and assistance; to the large number of members of the medical profession throughout the Dominion who responded to the Committee's request for information; to the authorities overseas for their response to requests for information; and to many other persons who by means of correspondence and literature have placed at the Committee's disposal a large amount of information which has been of material assistance in the investigation; also to the various Hospital Boards throughout the Dominion who so willingly placed their Boardrooms at the disposal of the Committee.

Sir George Newman, the Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education and the Ministry of Health, England, very courteously supplied the Committee with a valuable memorandum on the care of mental defectives in England and Wales, while the Secretary of State for the United States, through the good offices of the American Consul-General, Mr. Edwin N. Gunsaulus, kindly forwarded information supplied by the United States Public Health Service regarding the legislation and regulations in force in various States where sterilization for eugenical purposes has been legalized.

Information of great value and interest has also been received from Dr. E. S. Morris, Director of Health, Tasmania; from Dr. Helen MacMurchy, Department of Health, Ottawa; and from Dr. Eric Clarke, Toronto, Assistant Medical Director, Canadian National Conference for Mental Hygiene.

The Committee further wish to make special mention of the services rendered by the Secretary, Mr. J. W. Buchanan, whose work has been very heavy owing to the number of witnesses examined and the extent of ground covered in a comparatively short time. This would not have been possible but for the complete arrangements made by Mr. Buchanan, and the ability and energy which he showed generally in the discharge of his duties left nothing to be desired.

SECTION 2.--TWO DISTINCT QUESTIONS.

Before proceeding to the subject-matter of the Committee's investigations and the conclusions arrived at it is necessary to point out as clearly and emphatically as possible that the questions submitted to the Committee were entirely separate and distinct from each other. It is true that a certain proportion of mental defectives show their lack of self-control in regard to sex instincts and functions as in other respects. This is particularly the case with mentally defective girls, and constitutes one of the chief difficulties in dealing with them satisfactorily. Some of this class find their way into prison on account of sexual offences, but it is very far from correct to suppose that all feeble-minded persons are sexual offenders, or that all sexual offenders are mentally defective. On the contrary, among sexual offenders of the worst type, those convicted of unnatural offences, are occasionally found to be persons possessing intellectual and artistic powers above the average. There is something wrong in their mental, moral, and emotional balance, as will be pointed out in the proper place, but, as a rule, it is not the "intelligence quotient" which is at fault.