WARDS OF STATE

Otago Witness, Issue 3380, 25 December 1918, Page 39

WARDS OF STATE

"VICTIMS OF EPIDEMIC. The Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister. of Public Health), speaking to a Christchurch Press reporter, stated that the subject of children who had lost both or one parenO as the result of the recent -, epidemic had been dealt with by Cabinet on Friday, and his suggestions accepted in globo. These tyero briefly: (J.) That orphan children and children left in a condition of distress by the death of father or mother, will practically become wards of the State. (A) The organisation of the scheme will be in the hands of fcho Education Department, which through administering the Infants Act possesses the necessary machinery for inquiry and inspection, and also has the necessary stall to curry out the scheme. The Public • Health Department will find all the fimds required for the. purpose. . . "Taking first" the case of orphans," Mr Russell went on to say, " orphan children, who are not adopted by relatives will, through the Education Department, be licensed for a preliminary period to suitable people, bearing in mind the, parentage and home associations of the child in order that it may bo located in a similar or better rank-'of life to that in whioh' it was: born. "The object of the Government is to give 4he child home life rather than institutional life, and already I have received a number of applications from people who have offered to adopt children under the scheme. It is the rule of the Education, Department that persons are not allowed to adopt a child until there has been a probation period during which the lady inspectors of the department exercise supervision. When adoption takes place it is not usual for payment to be made to the foster parents. The policy will be that where it is necessary that payment shall bo made for the maintenance of the child, the basis will be that laid down under the. War Pensions Act —i.e., 10s 6d . per week for each child.

"In the case of a child who has lost a father through the epidemic the same principle will oibtain, except if the mother ia entitled to the widow's pension, when tha diii'ererco between the widow's pension andl the 10s 6d per week will bo paid by tha State.

" In the ease of the death of the mother, where, the father requires assistance in tha home for .the bringing up of his child, tha assistance will be on the same lines in order that the child will not suffer through the loss of its mother. "It has been laid down that assistance shall be given to boys until the age of 16 years and to girls until the age of 18. The idea.is . that the boy will be able to start earning something at- the age of 16, and that it is not desirable to force girls to start earning their living or part of id until the age of 18. " Each case will be annually reviewed and the conditions will be adjusted in the event of the mother or father remarrying. "I feel euro the scheme will be sympathetically administered by the Hon. Mc Hanan and his department, which is specially qualified to undertake the work. ■ All hospital boards syid mayors have been notified to send in is early as possbile lists of cases that will come under this scheme, and information is being received at the present time by the Department of Publio Health. All the matters will be handed on to the Education Department for final settlement. The country will appreciate the fact that the children will not be dealt with on the ordinary lines and under the ordinary law regarding charitable aid. *I cannot close my eyes to the fact that in adopting this principle the Government haa opened the door to what is practically a revolution in the treatment of orphans and destituto children. The policy now kid down for sufferers from the epidemic may be regarded as applicable to all children whether their parents meet their death by accident or natural causes."