zation would increase
this tendency. The opponents of sterilization offer as an alternative
only permanent segregation to prevent the transmission of mental defect.
It is evident, however, that the cost of the segregation of all mental
defectives capable of reproducing other mental defectives would be
exceedingly heavy. The Committee advocates powers of segregation and of
sterilization, these powers to be placed in the hands of the Eugenic
Board, under proper safeguards and the right of appeal.

Sterilization in suitable cases is not a high price to pay for liberty.
There are in our mental hospitals to-day men and women who suffer from
recurrent insanity, who are admitted to the mental hospitals from time
to time and discharged when they are better, and in the intervals
between their admission cohabit with their wives or husbands, as the
case may be, and bring more defective children into the world. If
discretionary power were given to the Board as suggested it should, and
no doubt would, be exercised cautiously and tentatively.

Sterilization gives the patient liberty to do useful work in the
community, is less drastic than segregation for life, and on the whole a
much slighter interference with the rights of the individual, which are
surely subordinate in such cases to the rights of the State.

There are, of course, numbers of mental defectives who can never be
allowed their liberty, and in the case of these the question of
sterilization need not be considered. There are many cases of mentally
defective girls, liberated from institutions in New Zealand for the
purpose of engaging in domestic service or other work, returning
afterwards the mothers of illegitimate children, probably also mentally
defective. Unless such are to be maintained for years as wards of the
State in institutions, should they ever again be allowed their liberty
unless they undergo the operation of sterilization?

This is the question: Can the propagation of mental defect by mental
defectives and the debasing of the race thereby be greatly checked if
not completely prevented? The answer is assuredly, Yes, by segregation
and by sterilization.

The Committee recommends that both methods be placed in the hands of the
Eugenic Board, with powers to discriminate as to which method is the
more suitable for each individual case. The two methods are
complementary, not antagonistic, and suitable safeguards for the liberty
of the subject are provided.