e 9, themselves in receipt of charitable aid, who have already
produced eleven children, all of whom are being provided for by the
State, while, as the couple are still living together and the woman is
still of child-bearing age, it is quite possible that the total may yet
be increased. This family, it is estimated, will cost the State at least
L16,000. Will any one seriously contend that it would not have been
sound economy if this couple had been taken in the first instance,
placed in separate farm colonies where they would have lived fairly
useful lives, and been prevented from casting such an excessive burden
on the State? We might take each of the cases quoted in an earlier part
of this report, and many others which we have not quoted, and ask the
same question in regard to each. There is no doubt whatever that from
the purely financial point of view it is very much to the interest of
the community that this problem should be taken boldly in hand at once
while the evil is within fairly manageable proportions, instead of
allowing it to grow into an intolerable burden.

Consider the humanitarian aspect. Surely it is a kindly act to give the
protective care of the State to those unfortunate persons who are unable
to hold their own in the struggle for existence, and who, if left to
their own devices, will fall miserably by the way and in many cases
become a menace to society.

Lastly, there is the national question to be considered. Surely it is
important that our stock should be kept as sound and virile as possible,
and that where a process of deterioration has been detected every
attempt should be made to stop it as soon as possible and by every means
in our power.

SECTION 13.--IMMIGRATION.

The Committee feel very strongly that any attempt to check the
multiplication of mental defectives in the Dominion will to a large
extent be labour thrown away if the greatest care is not at the same
time taken to prevent the introduction of feeble-minded and other
undesirable persons from overseas. The distance of New Zealand from
Europe and the cost of the long passage have on the whole had a
selective influence on the character of the immigrants and tended to
keep up the standard of quality. As already mentioned, however, serious
mistakes were made in the "seventies" of last century. Very striking
testimony to this effect is contained in the report of the late Dr.
Macgregor, Inspector-General of Hospitals and Charitable