Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1894. Baby Farming.

Manawatu Herald, 13 February 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1894. Baby Farming.

So many people besides " dear little Buttercup '' in " Pinafore " having taken to baby fanning, the legislature has found it necessary to make a new Act which is entitled the " Infanb L'fc Protection Act, 1893." Many of the provisions of the Act will come with rather a shock to many old women in the community and a perusal of it may save many of them from the penalties it provides for. The Act came into force on the first day of this year and it is provided that after the commence ment of the Act no person shall in consideration of any payment or reward at any time made or given or to be made or given to such person, or to any other person on behalf of such person, retain in or receive iuto his or her care or charge in any house any infant under the a-e of two years, or for the purposes of adopting such infant unless such person be registered as the occupier of such house and such house be also registered under the Act. Any one so offending is liable to imprisonment lor six months or a penalty not oxceeding twenty-five pounds. The registration only holds good for a year. The Government are to frame regulations for inspect ing tho houses and infants. Registration may be refuse d by the Commissioner of Police if he is not satisfied as to the fitness of the character of the person applying and the suitability of the house and the locality. The registered person has to keep a book with the name of each infant, the date received, the names and addresses of the parents, and the person by whom the infant has been received if removed from her care before two years of age. Notice must be given of the death of any infant within twenty-four hours and an inquest must be held, and the Coroner must report to the Minister the cause of death and make such other remarks as seem to him fit. It will be seen Irom these quotations from the Act that a stricter supervision is to be kept over infant life, and not before it was necessary. To a number of very worthy people this Act may be a pitfall until they make themselves thoroughly acquainted with its provisions, which certainly point at mid-wives as much as at regular baby-fanners.