CHILDRENS AID SOCIETY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIV, Issue 12323, 13 October 1900, Page 5

CHILDRENS AID SOCIETY.

A meeting of the committee of the. Can. terbury Children’s Aid .Society was, held on Oct. 3.; present—The Rev A- C. Hoggins (in the chair), Mesdames,Blake, Ben-* deley. Black, Lees and. Wells, Sister' Marion, Miss Ross, and Messrs O’Bryen - Hqare ;and Blank. A, report was received " froni'the executive, dealing with the laws relating to children: The report was adop-, ted, and,the following motion was passed'::" —“ That' this committee, while generally.-i approving the provisions of the Adoption of Children Act, has reason to believe that" some of its; provisions, notably Clause 5 ; Section 5,- have not been earned but with, sufficient gave. Clause,.s, Section’ 3, reads', as follows 1 The .Judge shall, be satisfied,:thfib the child "is under , the age of fifteen years, .that the," proposing to adopt the child is of-good repute, and) a fit and ' proper person to have the care and custodythereof, find ‘of’sufficient, ability to-brlngl; up, maintain,' and educate the child, that the welfare and interests, of the child will. .be promoted by the .adoption.’ The committee, therefore, suggests that a clause be inserted providing that the Judge be empowered to ask for the evidence of three reputable witnesses to prove the respects- • bility of any person proposing to adopt a child ; and also that Clause 10, which provides for tike adoption- of children' by the manager of any: benevolent institution, not maintained by Government subsidy,’ shall be modified by adding a provision that the institution be open' to public inspection, ;f further, that the question of any payment made to persons adopting a child should be in all cases brought before and considered by the Judge, before whom the application is made, such payment to be received for. the sole benefit of the child; and that thorough inquiry should be made into the work-" ing of the Act up to the present time.” It was decided that copies, of this resolution should be sent to the city members of the" House of Representatives', and to all the political associations throughout the colony. Reports w r ere received from members of the committees who hud visited families, arid some, fresh cases were. reported, and dealt with. Miss Wests,way wrote, resigning theposition of head teacher in the South Belt Free Kindergarten. The resignation, was" accepted with regret, and it was decided to appoint Miss M. "Stinson; to the position.