INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 6 September 1907, Page 2

INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

TIIE DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Mgag l'er Press Association. Wellington, last' night. The debate on Dr. Collins' motion :to<... consider the provisions in force for protection of infant life was resu.tied by the Hon. Mr Beehan, who held that the question of a living wage entered " largely into the subject under ' discussion. iiy improving the position of married men, something might be done to improvo tho condition of things. He trusted that the position of the declining fbirth-rate and the marriage /ate, iind the awful destruction of infant life j would soon bo a thing of the .past.

The Hon. Mr Callan said the worst evil of present day civilisation was ilio low estimate attached to family life. He considered the facilities for divorce had resulted in a lessening of "the regard for many of the duties of social life. Divorce was becoming a crying evil. The question of the non-birth of children or tho destruction of child life was one of tho most perplexing of modern times. Seeing we got little immigration, it was all the more important that we should encourage and foster infant life. In the proposed new law, a child should only be permitted to be taken charge of by a person wno could and would give it opportunities of home life. With regard to" children committed to Industrial schools, an improvement could be made by making court proceedings private.

The Hon. Mr McCardle did not think the "Government could, as suggested, set aside land for men with large families, but they might welt give married men promotion before single men. If this was "done by the Government, -the example might be followed "by privite employers. He eulogised Dr. Colling and the leader of the House for coming forward in this important -matter in the way they had done. He strenu- ! ously urgod the necessity for fhe strin- | gent inspection of the milk supply, as it'was a question which affected adults as well as children.

Tho debate was adjourned on the motion of the Hon. Mr Marshall, and the Council rose at 4.45.