PERMANENT ADOPTION

Evening Star, Issue 23678, 11 September 1940, Page 12

PERMANENT ADOPTION

BRITISH ORPHAN CHILDREN NOT POSSIBLE IN MEANTIME [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 10. Included in the several thousand offers received by the Government Co provide homes lor unspecified British children to be transported to New Zealand are inquiries whether some children, being probably orphans, could be adopted by foster parents in the Dominion. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry) stated to-night that though there seemed to be much in favour of adoption in the case of orphans, it was not the wish of the British Government that any of the children coming to New Zealand under the scheme should remain in the Dominion permanently, but lather that they should return to England on the termination of the war. The names Of persons who had indicated their desire to adopt children given to their care bad been specially listed. The Government at present could not give an assurance that any children would be available for adoption. if it was subsequently possible to conclude an arrangement for adoption then, in the event of a child being suitable and the foster parents satisfactory in all respects, adoption might be allowed subject to the safeguards which were already provided in the case of tlie adoption of New Zealand orphan children and any additional safeguards that might be deemed necessary with regard to British children. The Minister praised the feeling displayed by New Zealand mothers wishing to adopt children who had been bereft of their parents through the war.