INFANTICIDE IN MELBOURNE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2025, 27 March 1890, Page 4

INFANTICIDE IN MELBOURNE.

The criminal destruction of child life is bo terribly on the increase in Melbourne that the Government are at present considering whether any action should be taken for the suppression of this fearful practice. It ii well known that' baby farms ' exist in no inconsiderable manner in many suburbs of Melbourne, where infanta are regularly and systematically murdered by the inhuman wretches who, for the coasideration of a few pounds,' undertake to ' provide' for these tiny unfortunates. As long ae money is forthcoming the miserable waifs have a chance to live, but on instalments ceasing it is not long before there is a coroner's inquest on the body of an infant, either drowned, starved, or strangled, Hardly a week, passes without the dead body of an infant being found in some of the public parks. Not a week since one of these poor little victims was discovered with its face still bearing the marks of the strangle™ hand. In this case, as i n ethers, an inquest was held, and the usual verdict of wilful murder against some person on persons unknown' was returned. It is well known to the police that there are ' midwives' m almost every suburb, who, for the sum of.£2 will <t«ke charge' of an infant, in which case the parent may rely on never hearing of it agA iJ unless it be not the unwelcome news, of its death. Eecenfely a you™ woman, not 30 years of a J wa ° arrested for this practice, and The evidence elicited clearly sho wed that she had carried on this fearful trade for years unknown to her hushnmf Her mode of 'baby farmng > ™ 8 to take charge of the infant 4 aX™ sum and on the first convenient opportunity wilfully abandon it in one of the public gardens-sometimes on '

the very night that she received it. In another case the secret was revealed of four children having died at one farm ' inside of 18 mouths. Another woman was known to have had four children in her house, three of whom died from starvation. When at last the police resolved on proceeding against her this interesting personage was fonnd to have flown, and no trace could be found of her.—Correspondent of Dunedin Star.