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the duties of the board of control.
These include the following:—
(a) General supervision, protection and control over defectives;
(b) Supervision of the administration by the local authorities of
their powers and duties under this Act;
(c) Certification and supervision of institutions, houses, and
homes for defectives, and all arrangements made for the care,
training, and control of defectives therein ;
(d) Visitation either by commissioners or their inspectors of
defectives in institutions, under guardianship or elsewhere;
(e) Provision and maintenance of institutions for defectives of
dangerous or violent propensities;
(/) Taking such steps as may be necessary for securing suitable
treatment for cases of mental deficiency;
(g) Presentation of annual reports to Parliament and any special
reports required by the Home Secretary;
(h) The administration of grants.
the local authority.
This will be the county or borough council, which must appoint a
committee for the care of the mentally defective. The majority of this
committee must be members of the Council, the co-opted members
being Poor Law Guardians or other persons having special knowledge
and experience of the care of defectives; of such persons some must
be women.
If the council has already an asylums committee this, with the
addition of at least two women, may act as the committee for the care
of the mentally defective. The local authority may delegate to this
committee any of its powers under the Act, except the power of raising
a rate or borrowing money.
Local authorities may join and form a joint committee.
the duties of the local authorities.
It shall be the duty of the local authority to ascertain what persons
within their area are defectives; to provide suitable supervision for
such persons, and, if necessary, to see that they are sent to institutions
or placed under guardianship.
If necessary, institutions may be provided or contributions made
towards the maintenance of defectives in an institution or approved home
or the expenses of defectives placed under guardianship.
Annual reports must be made and sufficient officers appointed.