§ 34. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, at a meeting of the Middlesex County Council, held on the 25th ultimo, a report of the committee for the care of the mentally defective was adopted drawing attention to the considerable number of mental defectives in the County of Middlesex for whom the committee have been unable to make provision, and pointing out that, while the county council is prepared to do its duty, the Board of Control has repeatedly prevented accommodation from being obtained; and whether he will state the grounds upon which the action of the Board has been taken?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI have received a copy of the report which refers 2276 particularly to an application of the Middlesex Mental Deficiency Committee for approval to purchase at auction a small property for mental deficiency purposes. This property was likely to become superfluous in a few years time when the county council's large colony at Porters Park is ready for occupation. The Board of Control agreed to the authority bidding up to the figure at which the district valuer had valued the property, but, in all the circumstances, they did not feel justified in going beyond this figure.