CHILD WELFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 10

CHILD WELFARE.

THE BILL DISCUSSED.

COMMUNITY WELFARE BODIES':

VIEWS..

Twentyrone organisations were represented at a meeting called.by the Auck;land Community Welfare Council this, week to discuss the- Welfare Bill now before Parliament. . The measure jgerierally commended, as it contains: many, of the provisions of the children's charter which the council had carefully drawn: up and submitted. A number of clauses were criticised and recommendations made in connection with them arid these were forwarded to Wellington. Mr. C. J. Tunks presided. '.*." ! A general. description of the bill was given by Mr: E. C. Cutten. He pointed out' its advantages and expressed, himself as delighted with the advance made in this class of legislation. ■*■*".

Among the sections discussed was that Vesting the guardianship of the children in the hands of a superintendent. The representative of the Women's National .Council, Miss ;S. E. Jackson, strongly contended that the guardianship of the girls should be vested in a woman, and '-that a woman should be associated with the superintendent in the managenient. A resolution* to this effect was passed.

Clause 16, making provision for the permanent boarding out of children only in exceptional cases, was considered too limited, and the deletion of the word "exceptional" was suggested.

Section 36, providing for the vesting of the money earned by inmates, was also criticised. According to subsection .4 the superintendent, with the approval of the Minister, can continue to hold all money earned in trust for the inmate after .discharge, or may pay the whole, or any part, into the Consolidated Fund. ' The council thought ■ the latter provision much too drastic, and that the rights of the inmates concerning the money they earned should be safeguarded. There should be at least the right of appeal. . • t

1 The committee passed a resolution expressing disappointment that there was no provision for private institutions other than those mentioned in,the bill. It requested that. a' clause be inserted prohibiting the establishment >of new private institutions without the consent of the Minister, and authorising the Minister to impose conditions" for : any new' institutions. It. was also recommended that the' manager of a private institution be given power over its inmates similiar to those given the superintendent under section 16. Further, that all private institutions be subject to Government, inspection.