PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8528, 4 September 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

;By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the Legislative Council, to-day, Dr. Collins moved that "it is desirable that provisions, especially with regard to the inspection at present in force for the protection of infant life, be taken into consideration by theCounc.il." The mover admitted that New Zealand had done k great <3eal for the protection of infant life, but the Act of 1896 might be improved, especiallyas regards the inspection of homes. The police were hot the proper officers to undertake the duties of inspection, as many matters required to be taken into consideration, which were beyond the capacity of the police. The proper persons to supervise the homes were trained nurses. Another matter which militated against the proper care of infants was that the keeper of a home was often dependent upon money received on account ol infants. He spoke in terms of high praise of the work done by the receiving homes, and said that the Industrial Schools Act operated beneficially. He was not in ■favour of big institutions, because the great essential for children washome associations. He urged that the milk supply should be in the hands of the municipality, and the milk for children should be tested'all along from the covsf to the mouth of the baby. The Attorney-General seconded the motion. It opened up, he said, one of the most important social ques Mons which modern civilisation had to face, and it was the duty ,of the State to protect those whose helplessness was not, their own fault. He, agreed that the present system of inspection was bad, and homes should be under the supervision of trained nurses. It was monstrous that children should be made the subject of hard bargaining. The Government intended to amend the law in the following direction: —"The supervision of homes would be transferred from the police to the Educational Department, and an officer of the Department should have a voice in the choice of a home; the money that was paid to the foster parent should be paid by the parent throueh the State, and where the death occurred of a child who had been in a home an enquiry should be made, whether the child died in or o"t of it." The debate was adjourned. The Attorney-General moved a resolution of appreciation of the services of the late Hon. W. W. Johnson, and sympathy with the family of the deceased, and the Council rose as a mark of respect to the deceased. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

In the House in the afternoon the Pi-emier stated that amended legislation dealing with infant life protection would be brought, forward this session A re3olution of appreciation of the services of the late Hon. W. W. Johnston having been passed, the House adjourned at 3.30 until 7.30. The Tariff Bill was further discussed in Committee in the evening. At the instance of the Minister it way decided that duty on boots (Is 6d per pair and 15 per cent, ad valorem) should not take effect until after October 31st. No other amendment has so far been made. The Committee is now discussing fancy goods.