BORROWING BABIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 27 (Supplement)

BORROWING BABIES.

INQUIRY IN SOUTH WALES.

Aro babies beingborrowed " or " rented out " nt so much a day or week for begging purposes it) tho industrial areas of South Wales? , • ■ Social workers and police authorities havo long suspected that babies and , children of tender years are being " farmed " for alms-seeking purposes. A statement made by Sergeant Meyrick, a Cardiff police officer,; during tho hearing of a begging case is likely to result in intensive and widespread investigation into the subject. Sergeant Meyrick, referring to three women seen begging, declared that one of thera was a single woman who had "borrowed " two children and put on a wedding ring especially for tho purpose of begging. . j This statement bears out ! what has long beeu suspected in South Wales. It has-been noticed that, for some mysterious reason, the number of women beggate carrying babies in their arms has increased considerably, while there has also been a significant, increase in the number of "family beggars," i.e., 1 men and women, ostensibly husbands and wives, accompanied by as many as four children. Generally, the babies are white-faced and weakly looking, dressed in .rags.' j They must be valuable assets from a professional beggar's standpoint;