INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8528, 5 September 1907, Page 5

INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

PROPOSED IMPROVED LEGISLATION. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 4. The Legislative Council, to-day, continued the debate on Dr. Collihs' motion respecting the improvement of legislation with regard to infant life protection. The Attorney-General made a further statement as to the lines he posed to go upon in this matter,, though he explained that Cabinet had not yet dealt with the subject. Brieflyput, his proposals are, in addition to placing the control of inspection in the hands of the Education Department and appointing trained nurses experienced in the upbringing of children, to provide- that no fostermother should be permitted to take: charge of children until fitness hak been proved; that the children should not be removed from a home until reasonable evidence is forthcoming that they will be properly.' treated; that a State officer should; approve of the fo ter-mother; that, the foster-mother should not bear burden of collecting the money for* j the care of the child, a duty which, should devolve upon the State; that., the registration of an illegitimate child should take place within 48> hours of its birth; that adoption, for a lump sum should be prohibited; that a magisterial order for the adoption of a child by any person should be limited to six months, to be renewed: for a similar period only upon.a satisfactory report being received; that in certain cases a child should be removed from its foster-parent even against the consent of the parents; that an approved foster-mother desiring permanently to adopt a child after three or four years should beallowed to do so. The Hon. J. Rigg, Wellington,, referred to the great destruction of infant life, which he thought was. caused by fear of exposure and contumely—the result of our social conditions. As a remedy he advocated the establishing of foundlii c hospitals. The Hon. S. T. George, Auckland, said that the mortality of infant l,ife outside 1 illegitimate children was appalling, and was due to ignoranceHe advocated sending lecturers, through the country to give instruction in the methods of treatment of children. The debate was adjourned.