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94
BLIND CHILDREN.
Two blind children are being maintained at the Council's
expense at the East London Home and School for Blind Children
at Clapton. One child, who had reached the age of 16 years,
was discharged from this Institution in July.
DEFECTIVE BLIND CHILDREN.
One girl is residing at the Hastings and St. Leonard's Home.
DEAF AND DUMB CHILDREN.
Eight children are attending the Water Lane Deaf and Dumb
Centre, West Ham, and one child is at the Royal Asylum,
Margate.
THE MENTAL DEFICIENCY ACT, 1913.
This Act, which came into force on April 1st, 1914, gives
powers for dealing with certain weak-minded individuals for whom
previous legislation has not provided.
Defectives of a marked type, such as idiots and imbeciles,
have for long come under the provisions of the legislature, but it
was felt that another class, known as the feeble-minded, should
receive similar protection by the State, not only for their own good,
but also for that of the public at large.
The Local Authorities which are appointed to administer the
Act are County and County Borough Councils; and the latter are
required to ascertain what defectives in their area are amenable to
the provisions of the Act, and to provide accommodation for them
in suitable institutions. It may be pointed out that a large number
of recognized defectives will not be liable to be dealt with under
the Act.
The Local Education Authority is responsible for bringing to
the notice of the County Council the defectives aged 7 to 16 which