§ 85. Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that Section 79 of the Lunacy Act confers upon friends as well as relatives the right to apply to the visiting committee for the discharge of a patient on accepting responsibility in regard to him, and seeing that the plan followed by the asylum authorities of communicating this right by circular to one relative only has the effect of discarding that part of the Section which refers to friends, he will take steps to secure that the recommendation of the Departmental Committee, be forthwith carried out and Section 79 be posted up in the waiting rooms of public asylums in order that the rights guaranteed by statute may no longer be intentionally concealed from friends?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIn the opinion of die Board of Control, there are serious objections to a general rule requiring that this. Section should be posted tip in waiting-rooms. If any friends apply to a mental hospital for a copy of the regulations, the Board have no doubt that their request would be complied with. The Board are considering the revision of their rules, and it is proposed to require that copies of regulations as to visitation, which will include the substance of Section 79, shall he sent to all persons mentioned as relatives or friends of the patient in the statement of particulars accompanying the reception order.