APPENDIX.--=Past Mistakes in Immigration=: Extract from Report on Hospitals and Charitable Institutions of the Colony, 1888, by the late Dr. Macgregor, Inspector-General. =The Health of School Children=: Extract from the Report of the Director of the Division of School Hygiene, 1924. =Return showing Sexual Offenders= serving Sentence in New Zealand Prisons, 1924. =Table showing the Number of Sexual Offenders sentenced under respective Headings in New Zealand Prisons. Some Illustrative Histories= 29 * * * * * The Hon. the Minister of Health, Wellington. SIR,-- The Committee of Inquiry into Mental Defectives and Sexual Offenders appointed by you to inquire into and report upon the necessity for special care and treatment of mental defectives and sexual offenders in New Zealand have the honour to submit herewith their report. 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:--