CLAIM OF CHILD WELFARE BRANCH

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23806, 27 November 1942, Page 6

CLAIM OF CHILD WELFARE BRANCH

* UNUSUAL CASE AT TIMARU An interesting point was raised by the Magistrate (Mr H. Morgan, S.M.) in the Timaru Court yesterday, when Senior-Sergeant S. King, on behalf of the Child Welfare Branch of the New Zealand Department of Education, applied for a variation of a maintenance order increasing the payment of 12s 6d a week. Mr A. D. Mcßae, for defendant, consented to an increase, but questioned the claim of the Education Department that the weekly payment should be increased to one guinea. Counsel said the department was paying the foster-parents 17s 6d a week, and he thought that should be the rate fixed by the Court. Senior-Sergeant King said his Instructions were to ask for the customary rate of one guinea a week. The Magistrate: Even if the department is paying out only 17s 6d? The Senior-Sergeant said that the rate had been fixed out of the expenses of the department, and orders had been made in that Court, based on that rate. The Magistrate said he would have to be satisfied that maintenance in connexion with the application under consideration would cost the department what was claimed, otherwise he might be forced to think that a profit was being made by the Education Department. Senior-Sergeant King pointed out that there were certain charges for each child under the care of the Welfare Branch, such as supervision and periodical visiting that had to be met. Magistrate said he would regard those charges as associated with administration, and he made an order to increase maintenance payments from 12s 6d to 17s 6d weekly.