§ MR. DILLWYN, in moving that a Select Committee be appointed "to inquire into the operation of the Lunacy Law, so far as regards the security afforded by it against violations of personal liberty," said, there were two points in which the law especially required amendment—first, as to private patients sent to private asylums without any warrant from any public official, which seemed to him a violation of the Constitution; secondly, as regards the custody of such patients, the keeper of the 247 asylum, that was the person most interested in keeping them, having the most potential voice in deciding whether they should be retained there. He believed that all private asylums ought to be gradually done away with.
MR. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, that it would have been inadvisable rashly to vote a Committee on this subject, as their proceedings would be read by persons subject to such derangements, to their possible excitement and injury. The noble Earl at the head of the Lunacy Commission (the Earl of Shaftesbury) was willing that the Committee should be granted. But he (Mr. Cross) would suggest that the powers of the Committee should be restricted, and sufficient safeguards might either be shown to exist or be provided. There was a strong feeling that such safeguards did not exist. Still, it was clear that early treatment was the best in the case of lunacy.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Select Committee appointed, "to inquire into the operation of the Lunacy Law, so far as regards the security afforded by it against violations of personal liberty."—(Mr. Dillwyn.)
§ And, on February 22, Committee nominated as follows:—Mr. STEPHEN CAVE, Dr. LUSH, Mr. WOODD, Mr. RAMSAY, Mr. LEIGHTON, Mr. TREMAYNE, Mr. HERSCHELL, Mr. GOLDNEY, Mr. JOSEPH COWEN, Mr. KAVANAGH, Mr. BUTT, Mr. BIRLEY, Mr. HOPWOOD, Mr. STEWART, and Mr. DILLWYN:—Power to send for persons, papers, and records; Five to be the quorum.