CHILD ENDOWMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 24 January 1942, Page 3

CHILD ENDOWMENT

EFFECTS IN AUSTRALIA When Australia’s child endowment scheme was going through, critics said that the money paid to parents would not be used for the purposes intended, but after four months of operation, Free Kindergarten Union workers in Melbourne say that children are better clothed, and more and better bedding was in use in homes. Claims for endowment came from 468,000 families and endowment is being paid in respect of 881,000 out of the 1,349,000 children in the country—£22o,ooo a week, mainly financed by a 2£ per cent, tax on payrolls. Four families have 13 children under 16 and the mother receives 5s a week for each child after the first —£3 a week. Twelve families have 12 children, 56 have 11, 216 have 10, 715 have

nine, 2031 have eight, 5120 have seven, 11.871 have six, 25,273 have five, 55,739 have four, 121,400 have three and more than half the total, 246.000, have two. One family has 18 children all told and another 15. Many families did not apply, other parents hesitated because they would have to answer questions which would reveal domestic secrets. This attitude was largely overcome by a pledge of secrecy. Institutions draw endowment in respect of the children under their care, which neutralises to some extent the diversion of public eleemosynary contributions to wartime appeals.