ACT OF PARLIAMENT FOR A FAMILY

Evening Star, Issue 22032, 18 May 1935, Page 5

ACT OF PARLIAMENT FOR A FAMILY

Just as the fate of Colonel Lindberg’s lost child excited the interest of all the world, so the world has been following the lives and fortunes of the wonderful quintuplets born to Mrs Dionne, the French-Canadian of Callender, Ontario. Not least remarkable about these five little girls js the fatherly interest of the State—in this rase the Ontario Government. In effect they say to Mr and Mrs Dionne; Your quintuplets are too marvellous to be entrusted to their parents; they belong to Ontario, Accordingly, the Ontario Government is passing a whole Act of Parliament solely devoted to the quintuplets. The Act makes them “ special wards of His Majesty the King ” and the immediate responsibility of the Minister of Public Welfare in Ontario. The measure empowers the Government to appoint a board of guardians for the children, with authority over their finances, edu-

cation, and physical well-being. These guardians are to share authority with the father, Mr Oliva Dionne, and the physician, Dr A. 11. Dafoe, and all contracts made by them will require authorisation by the Minister. From the first the wonderful .five have had public care. They were born on May 28, 1934, in the early morning, and are now nearly 12 months old. Their first bassinette was a butcher’s meat basket, and their survival, with the aid of an incubator, was miraculous. Footprints of the babies were recorded to prevent mistakes in identification. The five only weighed 101 b in all on the first- day, but by December, 1934, they weighed 101 b apiece. And their names? They are charmingly called Cecile, , Yvonne, Marie, Emilie, and Annette. In the Old France which is French Canada they stick to French names, and are still French to the backbone. The children live in a nice wooden house especially built for'them' by the public, and public money supports them. The Dionnes descend from Quebec settlers.