HC Deb 22 July 1862 vol 168 cc700-1

Order for Consideration read.

MR. HIBBERT moved the following clause, which was agreed to:— The superintendent of every asylum shall, once at least in each half-year, transmit to the guardians of every union and of every parish under a board of guardians, and the overseer of every parish not in a union nor under a board of guardians, a statement of the condition of every pauper lunatic chargeable to such union or parish.

MR. BUTT

then moved the insertion of a clause, providing that copies, orders, and certificates shall be given on demand to any person who shall be received as a patient or alleged lunatic into any asylum.

Clause, (Any person who shall be received as a patient or alleged lunatic into any asylum, registered hospital, or licensed house under the provisions of the Lunacy Acts, chapter ninety-six or ninety-seven, shall have a right to demand, orally or by writing under his hand, from the superintendent or other person keeping him in restraint, a copy of the order and certificates under which he has been received as an inmate; and in case any superintendent or other person having the control of such asylum, registered hospital, or licensed house shall not, upon such demand, deliver to the alleged lunatic true copies of same within a reasonable time after such demand, such superintendent or other person shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, unless the state of mind of such alleged lunatic shall be such as to make it impossible for him to exercise any mental resolution upon the subject, or to make it dangerous and unsafe to comply with such demand), —brought up, and read 1°.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the said Clause be now read a second time."

SIR GEORGE GREY

opposed the clause, and stated that the subject had been fully considered and discussed by the Committee to which the Bill had been referred.

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

Bill to be read 3° To-morrow.