INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 7

INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

THE NEW BILL. Tho Infant Lifo Protection Bill, which has been introduced by tho Attornoy-Gencral (Hon. Dr. J. G. Eindlay) deals,chiefly with tho licensed homes for infants which, during tho past fow years, have been under tho supervision of tho Police Department. It is'now proposed to place these homes (which aro described in tho Bill as "foster-hoines") under tho control of the Education Department.

. It shall not bo lawful for any person, in consideration of any payment or reward, to have chargu of any infant apart from its parents or guardians longer than soven consecutive days unless such poison is licensed as a foster-parent. Institutions, near relatives and other persons may be exempted from this provision by Ministerial warrant. "Infant" is .defined as a child apparently under tho ago of six years. . An application for a license has to be mado to the Secretary for Education or such other person as tho Minister appoints, and must be accompanied by the certificate of not less than three householders to the effect that tho applicant' is of good character and fit to bo trusted with tho care of infants. The Minister may revoke tho license, and order the children concorned to be removed to another fostor-homc, or to an industrial school. A record book is to bo kept by fostor parents in accordance with regulations, tho penalty for falso ontries not exceeding £20. A child may not bo removed from a fosterhomo without tho Consont of an authorised officer. No payment shall be received by a fosterparent in respect of any infant except- under an agreement approved by the Secretary or other person authorised by tho Minister. " Where any such agreomont is for payment of a lump sum, it shall be deposited with tlio .Secretary or other officer, and .the fosterparent shall receive from tho Secretary out of the sum so deposited a weekly payment of an amount agreed upon between tho Secretary and tho foster-paront. If default is mado in payment of any sum under any .inch agreement, the amount shall bo paid to the foster-parent by the Secrotary, and shall be recoverable by the Secretary as a debt, for which- 'tho near relatives of the infant (as defined by the Destitute Persons Act, 180-1) shall be jointly and severally linblo. "Near relative" may also include a person adjudged the. father of an illegitimate child and anv person who would be a near relative of an 'infant within the meaning of tho said Act if such infant wore the legitimate child of the person who has been adjudged the father. Near relatives will have the right of indemnity against tho father and mother of a child in respect to whose maintenance thoy have, made contributions.

Power is given to any officer appointed under tho Act In outer any foster-homo or other premises where lie bolieveM tliat an infant, is being maintained contrary to tho

Act, and ho may bo accompanied by a medical officer. Tho penalty for ' interference with an inspector.is not exceeding £20. Every fostur-honie shall also be open to inspection by any member of tho General Assembly or by any Justice Discretion is given to the coroner to decide whether an inquest shall bo held when an infant dies in a. foster-homo, and if the inquiry is. held it shall be tho duty of tho coroner to inquire not. only into the immediate causo of death but also into all the circumstances relating to tho treatment and condition of tho infant (luring life which in his opinion should bo inquired into in the public interest.

Within forty-eight hours of tho birth of a live child if in a city or borough, or within seven days in. tho country, the fact must bo notified to the Registrar." of Mirths. A penalty not exceeding £5 may be imposed for a breach of this provision. Tho Act is to apply to children adopted under tho Adoption of Children Act,'lß9s. Any'breach of tho Act for which a penalty is not expressly provided is punishablo by a fino not exceeding £50, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months. Tho Infant Life Protection Act, 189G, is repealed, but persons licensed under that Act shall be doomed to be licensed under this Act.