A State Nursery.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5356, 6 September 1895, Page 1

A State Nursery.

The idea of founding a home for'illegitimate children as w.as suggested recently by a correspondent, is one that : deserves the serious consideration of par democratic community. Whether, these children are to be " farmed," and bo V dragged up" to swell oar criminal /population — if they are not actually pitt but of the world by tin-' scrupulous people— or whether they are to be trained into useful, law-abiding citizens, is a question that' calls for a speedy reply. With the Winton tragedy still fresh in our minds we should have no doubt about our duty in the matter, for as long as there is no properly managed home for these, children so long ' will there be frond diacipleß of Mrs Dew to pursue the nefarious trade °^ baby farming. Such a ble<nish in a well-governed country like ours should not be tolerated for a single moment. It is surely a shortsighted policy to settle the fate of a woman like Mrs Dean, and then take no step to prevent the manufacture of criminals of a similar class. But there is another and more important aspect of this question. As our correspondent has so plainly pointed out, the child that is robbed of its rights, of love and happy surroundings, can scarcely be expected to grow into a self-respecting and law-abiding citizen. On the contrary, it is dogged by injustice from the first moment of its being, and through no fault of its own it is prepared for the life of an Ishmael If the Government could see its way to found a home of this kind, even as an experiment, a move would be made in a moat excellent , direction. The initial expense would not be formidable, and the system of compelling each . parent to contribute to a child's maintenance would ultimately make the Home a self-support-ing one. As for the management, there are numbers of good and devoted women who would gladly undertake the task of training these little waifa into worthy men acd women. It is a work that would confer incalculable advantages upon the State. '