Neglect of “The State’s Most Precious Asset.”

White Ribbon, Volume 12, Issue 141, 13 February 1907, Page 7

Neglect of “The State’s Most Precious Asset.”

A serious flaw in the Infant Life Protection Act lias recently been brought under public notice in (’hristchureh. At the inquiry held conceming the death of an infant nine months old, an inmate of a licensed house, evidence showed that the keeper of the house had four children under her care. Fifteen peraniis altogether live* 1 in the house, the only domestic

assistance being given by two sons. The Act contains no proviso limiting the number of infants that may he placed in charge of one person, and the jury very naturally voiced its opinion that an amendment to the Act in that directum was necessary. The same ease also revealed the fact that the inspection of such licensed homes is of a most superficial character. The child had slept with two older children in an attic containing less than oUO cubic feet of air space, whereas each child should have at least 500 cubic feet. The ins|iector said that inspectorship was part of her duties as police matron, and that it would take two women to properly carry out the ins|iection. The whole case points to the fact that these |xx*r little waifs, hitherto supposed to be safeguarded by the Act, are at present liable to most cruel ami criminal neglect.