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16.—The numbers given above may appear at first sight to be rather
small as representative of a year's work, and it appears desirable to
indicate briefly the type of work which is involved in examining such
people. Appended to this report, therefore, is a copy of the form
which is adopted by the Board of Education as the standard form for
the report upon mentally deficient or alleged mentally deficient
children of school age. This type of examination is exactly that which
is applied to all such defective people whether they be over or under
16 years of age. Each person must be examined several times before
a really properly balanced and considered judgment of the case can be
given, and each of these examinations means on an average at least
one hour's work. It will be appreciated therefore that the examination
of approximately 100 individuals during the year means a very considerable
expenditure of time and labour, and this list does not include
those who were examined for alleged mental deficiency and found to be
suffering from some other condition. It has been necessary to make
the examinations of a considerable number of patients in the homes of
the patients as the condition of the individual would not permit of the
examination being carried out at the Town Hall.
(I) GUARDIANSHIP.
17.—The Committee have during the year very carefully considered
the question of placing cases under guardianship. It did not in the
early stages appear advisable to them to take any steps to establish a
voluntary agency to assist in this matter, as it was desired to obtain
guardians if possible by the private efforts of the individuals interested
in the work. This has not proved to be possible, and the Committee
have now under consideration a proposal to constitute a voluntary
association to help in the provision of guardians and in the general
supervision of mentally defectives placed under guardianship. It
appears to the Committee that one of the most valuable types of
guardianship would be to make the parents the guardians under the Act
and to assist them financially when this is required, so that the general
conditions of life of the mentally defective individual may be ameliorated.
(g) SUPERVISION.
18.—Under the Mental Deficiency Act Provisional Regulations,
1914, it will be necessary to appoint Officers of the Committee or other
persons to visit all defectives who are not in Institutions or under
guardianship, but are subject to be dealt with under the Act and are
cases of such a character that in the opinion of the Committee supervision
affords sufficient protection. The Committee have had this
question under consideration, and will in due course recommend to the
Council fhe appointment of Supervisors.
(h) INSTITUTIONS.
19.—The Committee have taken part in Conferences convened by
the Surrey County Council as to the provision of an Institution for that
County and the neighbouring Counties and County Boroughs, but are
not at present in a position to report usefully thereon.
(t) FINANCE.
20.—The cost incurred by the Council in administering the Act is
defrayed partly out of Government Funds and partly out of the Borough
Fund. The Government contributes half the cost of performing the