CHILD OFFERED FOR ADOPTION: QUESTION IN HOUSE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 August 1948, Page 3

CHILD OFFERED FOR ADOPTION: QUESTION IN HOUSE

(P.A.) . WELLINGTON, August 17. The Minister in charge of State house tenancies (Mr F. Hackett) was asked in the House of Representatives today bv Mrs G. H. Ross (Opposition. Hamilton) whether his attention had been drawn to an advertisement published by a Wellington newspaper offering a baby for adoption. The Mr and Mrs John Cromarty,- advertised their daughter, Josie, for- adoption so that she might have a better opportunity in life than an- upbringing in a room 12 feet square. There were 23 replies to the advertisement from childless couples and people with means.

Mr and Mrs Cromarty have lived in rooms since they were married two years ago and in that time have answered innumerable advertisements for accommodation. Last week Mr Cromarty was dismissed by his foreman for taking too much time off work looking for a home. During the war he was with the British Merchant Navy for five years, and he told a reporter that he was not eligible for a serviceman’s preference in applying for a .State house. Mrs Ross asked the Minister to investigate the ca.se and, if the position was as stated, to have his department take all possible steps to find a home for this family. Mr P. Kearins (Government, Waimarino), a few minutes after Mrs Ross’s question, gave notice to ask the prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) whether his attention had been drawn to a newspaper report of an address given by the United Kingdom High Commissioner (Sir Patrick Duff), who had emphasised the importance of the home as a basis of civilisation. Mr Kearins asked “whether the Prime Minister feels that these views, which are shared by all right-thinking men and women, should be communicated to the young couple who showed so little responsibility, because of their present housing difficulties, that they advertised their infant child for adoption.”