DESTITUTE CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 222, 19 September 1893, Page 2

DESTITUTE CHILDREN.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OP

PARENTS.

SADDLING CHILDREN ON THE ' CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

ACTION BY THE POLICE,

At the meeting of tho Auckland Hoßpita? and Charitable Aid Board yesterday after* noon, an important discussion took plac& regarding the maintenance of destitute children whoso parents neglected to support them, and the question arose of how to prevent parents from "shunting" theii responsibilities on tho Board. The dis« cuesion arose on a letter from Police Inspector Hickson who wrote stating his io« tension to apply for the committal of tha children of the woman, Mrs Donovan, to an Industrial School, undor the Indußtri»i Schools Act, to bo maintained by tha Board. A report from the police was also received relativo to five young children named Peterson, who wera destitute, and whose mother and father were addicted to drink. Tho children were almost naked, and when visited by tho police wore without any food. A roporb was also roceived relative to a Mrs Healey, whoee husband waa a fisherman, und who had threa children whom she could nob support. Tbo husband would not help her.

Mr J. Bollard said thab the letter of Inspector Hickaon opened up a very largo question in connection with the" Board's expenditure. The cost to tho Board of maintaining children in Industrial Homes and in tht " boardiug-houses" was at present very close on £1,000 a year. While objecting to this large expenditure, he at the SBine tima admitted thab to leave many of thesa children with their parents and in tbeir degraded surroundings would be only to rear up a number of thieves and prostitutes. If they wero to take these children when the caees wora brought before them, and to pub them into Industrial Horaee f then tho Board would have to raise an additional £2,000 a year. The question was, whether the ratepayer* would be able to stand the strain. He wished thab thore was some means of dealing with a man like Peterson, who could atlbrd to maintain his children bub would nob. People who could afford it should maintain the indigent poor, bub if they were going to allow people to shunt their children on to the Board, because of theie own inhumanity or neglect, they must eea if they could not arrange a differ6n» system. While believing thab Inspector Hickeon waa taking the righfc action, ho still thought tho Board should nob allow itself to be saddled with numbors of children in such a way. He moved, " That the Board oppose the application to commib the children to an Industrial Home ab tho Board's expense, and thab steps bo taken to compel the man Petersen to contribute to tho support of his children."

Mr J. M. Lennox said he recognised that the Board should take eomo stand in tha matter. If they remained passive, tbej would bo flooded with the children of dis' Bipafced women, whoso great anxiety was to get rid of tho children, and leb anyone elsj support them bo long as thoydidnot have to. Ho did not sco how tho Government) went to treat men wlio deserted their children and refused to support them, excopt by using tho cat-of-nino tails. Ho considered thab corporal punishment was the best treatment for these inhuman fathers. Ha thought ths Government should bring in Btringenb legislation to deal with tha matter.

Mr Glover spoke in a similar strain, anij Mr Bruce said that there would be great difficulty in getting the necessary funds to support these children thrown on thoif hands, Ho considered it an extremely diffw cult matter to deal with, and he thought thepolice should take steps to make negligent pareotß do their duty towards their children.

The Chairman (Mr Gordon) pointed oub thab tho police could bake action under other sections of the Industrial Schools Act, under which ttoo colony and nob the Board would have to maintaiu the children.

Mr Arabury said this sorb of thing was the effect of the present social system, which, bo long as it continued, would bring forth similar bad fruits. Publ^ousesand other ovila were tolerated, and until ths evils which caused the lameutable state ol things ab present were removed, tho tbin£ would keep ou. Something radical was needed to remedy the trouble.

The Chairman said the police wereevi' dontly determined that the Board should bs saddled with tho cost of these children, but tbpy could easily transfer the cost of the children, under another sub-section o! the Act, bo the Consolidated Fund of tha colony. Mr Bollard contended thab until better legislation was brought into force in thifl matter, tho children of careless or inhuman parents should bo made a charga on the Consolidated Fund. Mr Bollard's motion was then.carried, it being decided to oppose the application of the police to commit the children to school at tho Board's expense. It wasJjtetber ro« solved to mnke the question ofltne main" tenance of the Donovan and Peiersen children a test case, and to engage a solicitor to oppoeo tbe application. From a statistical return laid; upon tha table of the Hoard, ie was ascertained tbatl the Board maintained 79 cbihtoen in industrial and orphan homes and boarded oub at a total cost of £1,094 10s per annum, Of the children maintained in schools and industrial homes, 26 are boys and 16 girls, while those boarded out comprise 21 boys, nnd 16 girle. The cost of the children maintained in schools last year was f!»u 12*, and of those boarded out £523 1»p. There have been nine commitala since March 31st, 1893.