11

E.—4

The following comparison of the rates paid during the last three years shows that the usual payment is about 10s. a week :— 1911. 1912. 1913. Under 7s. .. .. .. .. .. ..34 23 24 7s. and over 10s. .. .. .. .. .. 232 195 161 10s. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 504 485 482 Over 10s. .. .. .. .. .. 83 71 91 Exempted Institutions. From the provision that " it shall not be lawful for any person in consideration of any payment or reward to receive or retain in his care or charge any infant for the purpose of nursing or maintaining it apart from its parents or guardians for a longer period than seven consecutive days unless such person is licensed as a foster-parent," the Minister may grant certain exemptions, and under this authority exemption has been granted to the institutions set forth in the following list, which shows also the numbers dealt with and the deaths. The conditions of the exemption provide for inspection, and for removal of the infants only with due formality.

Deaths in Foster-homes. Of the 1,330 infants under six years of age that were at one time or another on the books as in the foster - homes during 1913, 13 died. Of these, 8 died in the foster - homes and sin hospitals or nursing-homes to which they had been removed for treatment, so that the deaths in foster-homes represented 0-60 of the total number dealt with. Eleven of the 13 were under the age of twelve months, and 11 were of illegitimate birth. The following is a statement of the number of deaths during the time that the infant-life-protection system has been in the Department's charge :—- -1908 .. .. 26 deaths out of 1,017 infants = 2-56 per cent. 1909 .. .. ..25 „ 1,181 „ =2-11 1910 .. .. ..26 „ 1,183 „ =2-19 1911 13 „ 1,183 „ = 1-09 1912 .. .. ..12 „ 1,228 „ =0-98 1913 .. .. ..13 „ 1,330 „ =0-98 This continued low death-rate reflects great credit on the District Agents, their assistants, the Local Visitors, and the foster-parents. Particulars of the 13 deaths are given in the appendix.

(1913) Admissions. leaths. On the Boc |31stDecemb< >ks at er,1913. Name of Institution. B % 1 o H CO □ Jl a CM 8 a ai ~f a •A I ■3 Si SlS a a<! -S i a la is J H s= |5 J s So 1 Slis 1 a w * a The Orphan Home, Papatoetoe, Auckland St. Mary's Home, Otabuhu, Auckland St. Mary's Orphanage, Epsom (girls) .. .. St. Joseph's Orphanage, Takapuna (boys) " Door of Hope," Auckland Salvation Army Maternity Home, Auckland Children's Home, Remuera, Auckland Children's Home, Ponsonby, Auckland St. Vincent's Foundling Home, Epsom Leslie Presbyterian Orphanage, Remuera Mission House of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Auckland .. Cook County Women's Guild Creche, Gieborne Wanganui Orphanage, Wanganui Children's Home, Palmereton North St. Joseph's Orphanage, Upper Hutt Salvation Army Children's Home, Wellington The Levin Memorial Home, Wellington Presbyterian Orphanage, Wellington Home of Compassion, Island Bay St. Mary's Orphanage, Nelson Salvation Army Maternity Home, Christohurch Children's Convalescent Cottage, New Brighton Saored Heart Orphanage, Mount Magdala, Christchuroh Nazareth House, Christohurch St. Saviour's Home, Shirley, Ohristchurch Presbyterian Home, Papanui, Christohuroh Salvation Army Maternity Home, Dunedin Presbyterian Orphanage, Anderson's Bay St. Mary's Orphanage, Dunedin Salvation Army Home, Middlemarch Victoria Memorial Home, Inveroargill Glendining Home, Anderson's Bay St. Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, South Dunedin 7 15 16 2 31 5 9 6 17 4 24 36 8 3 23 5 2 7 33 28 8 126 3 14 9 4 35 1 18 2 11 4 1 12 8 2 1 3 2 2 1 2 4 1 3 1 i "i ■ • i 12 26 15 19 12 4 5 11 47 8 17 13 4 17 5 4 7 62 23 5 12 9 31 19 12 13 6 2 3 1 3 2 1 4 11 2 1 2 1 1 6 1 2 7 1 1 3 35 4 4 13 7 4 20 10 33 8 2 8 5 6 11 22 6 4 5 1 1 3 Totals for 1913 554 98 41 18 10 5 464 35 21 Totals for 1912 484 182 62 36 22 10 430 33 29