CHILD WELFARE

Evening Star, Issue 19044, 12 September 1925, Page 4

CHILD WELFARE

FLAWS IN THE ACT A WOMAN’S WORK. [Special to the ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, September 11. “ I'rovision should have been made' for illegitimate children. Robbing has been done with regard to tins matter, and 1 think' it one of the most serious haws in tin} Act.” So spoke iMr S. E. McCarthy, ex-stipendiary magistrate, with regard to the Child \Velfaro Act to-day. “ A duty should .bo cast upon the lather of an unborn illegitimate child to make provision for tiie care and maintenance of the expectant mother before birth,” ho declared, “and provision should be made by the woman for Ibo care oi the child immediately after birth. Breaches of these duties, in my opinion, should render the offenders liable to prosecution.”

“In tlio first place,” said Mr M’Curthy, “ tlio Act sets out that a child is any boy or girl under tlio age of sixteen years. Most social workers arc of the opinion that the ago should be extended to eighteen years. Then there is the question of girls and those who are given control of them. We think that girls, no matter what their ago, should bo placed directly under the control of women. For very obvious reasons we don’t think that men are fitted to control sub-normal girls, and provision should he made in the Act for this, it is set out that the deputy-superintendent and the superintendent of detention homes For these children should he males. Provision is admittedly made, for matrons, but then they are under the eouf.ro 1 of the men above them as far as authority goes. Some of the head officers, at any rale, should bo women. With regard to the clause providing for training Farms and schools, what we have to say about that is that the children are not kont at these places for a. .sufficiently lengthy term. After a time they are let. out to private individuals who in some cases are very estimable people; but where they have been let out to people in remote places experience has shown that these children must bo constantly supervised. We think female inspectors should bo appointed by the A! mister to make periodical visits to the institutions where the children are concerned. In a vague way this is provided for in the Act, but it should bo definite. No actual provision is made for women inspectors to supervise, along with tlio other officials. Alter all, it is a woman’s work. In the cases of neglect of children hoarded out, it is provided that any authorised person innv take control (if the youngster. Wo don’t think that that is right. Wo think where the child affected is very young, or is a. girl, that the person authorised to take control of it should be a woman. A country constable is not a fit person to take charge of a girl of sixteen, say. “ The question of female representation again arises in regard to the clause providing for a children’s court. I think that the children’s court established under this Act should have at least one woman on it, hut it has nob. Provision is made for a maximum of twelve months’ imprisonment, or a fine not exceeding £K>O, for persons who have sexual relations with inmates of these detention homes, whether it be with consent or not, and no matter wbat ilie age of the girl might be. The section to which T refer is wide enough to include all offenders under the. Act. It is also wide enough to include any wealthy man who has the means to got off with a. fine of £IOO. In cases of that sort the only punishment should be gaol. In my opinion the offenders should not be given the option of a fine. On the other hand, cases may arise where a girl is living in a private homo, and men may bare relations with her quite ignorant of the fact that she is nn inmate of an institution under the Act. Tn such instances the offenders might be dealt with by a fine instead of imprisonment.”