21

E.—4

Deaths in Foster-homes and Exempted Institutions. Of the 1,243 infants who were at one time or another on the books as being in foster-homes during J 923, 6 died; of these, 1 died in a foster-home and 5 died in hospitals to which they had been removed for treatment. Two of the six were under twelve months of age, and three were of illegitimate birth. As shown in the table above relating to exempted institutions, theie were 20 deaths in 1923. 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 : —

Adoptions during the Year 1923. During the year 364 orders of adoption were made; 31 of the adoption orders provided for premiums, and 333 were without monetary consideration. The following shows the ages of the adopted children : —

Jb'oster-homes. Ixempted Institut iions. Year. Number of Deaths. N umber of Infants. Percentage of Deaths. Number of Deaths. Number of Infants. Percentage of Deaths. 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 26 25 26 13 12 13 20 14 17 12 6 10 14 6 10 6 1,017 1,181 1,183 1,183 1,228 1,330 1,423 1,440 1,250 1,361 1,341 1,403 1,306 1,318 1,243 1,243 * 2-56 2-11 2-19 1-09 0-98 0-98 1-40 0-98 1-36 0-88 0-44 0-71 1-07 0-47 0-80 0-48 47 36 18 37 11 9 15 15 13 19 17 16 20 No records. ,, 899 911 984 944 1,026 939 1,136 955 1,050 1,002 1,118 887 1,076 5-23 3-95 1-82 3-91 1-08 0-96 1-32 1-57 1-24 1-89 1-52 1-08 1-86

Age. With I With Premium. Premiun in. With Premi Without Premium. lout ium. Total. \ Under 6 months Between 6 months and 12 months . . 1 year and 2 years „ 2 3 „ „ 3 „ 4 „ 4 5 „ „ 5 „ 6 „ „ 6 „ 7 „ ,,7 ,, 8 „ „ 8 „ 9 „ „ 9 „ 10 .„ „ 10 „ 11 „ „ 11 „ 12 „ „ 12 „ 13 „ „ 13 „ 14 „ „ 14 „ 15 „ ] 10 8 4 3 1 3 2 10 8 4 3 1 3 2 31 65 31 56 39 24 14 22 7 9 7 16 7 8 5 6 17 333 65 31 56 39 24 14 22 7 9 7 16 7 8 5 6 17 75 39 60 42 25 17 22 7 9 9 16 7 8 5 6 17 31 333 364 The adopting parents were — Husband and wife jointly . . Widow Widower SpinsterJ Bachelor Wife only Husband only Ir or ooo > 336 10 1 5 7 4 1 364 The amount of the premiums ranged from £7 10b. to £100.