E.—4

14

No. 4.—INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION. ■_ - Education Department, Wellington, 31st May, 1912. The Hon. the Minister of Education. I submit the following report on the work of the Department in respect of infant-life protection for the year 1911. It will be seen that the bulk of the infants were in foster-homes—that is, with women who have the motherly capacity, and the time and accommodation necessary to satisfy the Department's requirements for the license prescribed by the Act. The remainder were in various benevolent institutions, of which particulars are given below. Numbers. The number of infants in licensed foster-homes on the 31st December was 707, which is 27 more than there were at the beginning of the year. The individuals changed to a much greater extent than those figures indicate, however ; the total number of individuals dealt with in connection with-foster-homes during the year, by admissions, withdrawals, transfers, &c, being 1,183. The number, placed in foster-homes was 48 more than in the previous year, and the number removed from the homes was 27 less. In the institutions there were 427 at the end of the year, making in all a total of 1,134 infants being dealt with under the Act on the 31st December, 1911 —an increase of 32 over the number on the books a year previously. The following table exhibits the transactions of the year in respect of infants in licensed fosterhomes :—

Particulars of Admissions to And Removals From Licensed Foster-Homes During 1911.

Foster-homes. The 707 infants in foster-homes at the end of the year were distributed as follows :— In 460 homes each having one . . .. . . .. .. .. 460 In 76 „ two .. .. .. .. .. .. 152 In 21 „ three .. .. ..63 In 4 „ four . 16 In 2 „ five .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 In 1 „ six .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 564 707

w I to u % 2" .*» a si o 3 11 I CM T3 a e3 . -I g — CD ■+» I * a ce . CM S © £ 1* -tP I •a a ce . «o S2 rt A S3 ffl © £ © H*l a HO ■o a ce . th g a | ffl pH 9 HH» I CD I to" to a s .9 co * • <D- a ! eS^nS | ■ ° fc 3 tered o; the B( whs. In the books at the beginning of the year 'laced in licensed homes during the year Ldopted with premium (exclusive of those already on the books) 56 83 150 136 94 63 60 38 680 246 60 76 39 30 15 24 490 8 1 1 1 1 1 13 Total 310 144 227 176 124 79 85 1,183 With Irawn frt ym and i remaining on the 92 53 i Books. lemoved from foster-homes by parents or guardians Deaths Adoptions from licensed homes without premiums n homes to which exemption was granted 3rought under operation of the Industrial Schools Act (Vritten off the books for various 41 42 48 16 21 10 323 6 3 2 5 4 5 4 3 3 1 i 13 24 1 4 2 2 2 2 2 15 , ■ 1 10 1 ' 5 3 3 10 11 10 4 * 1 48 91 causes )n the books at 31st December, 1911 73 87 151 110 270 182 108 79 59 40 707 Total .. 128 150 165 105 ; i 84 99 1,183