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good had been done in those districts which had adopted the system, and
he had decided to introduce a Bill sanctioning what was doubtful and
illegal in the action of the local authorities in establishing such depots.
The general subject of the notification of still-births would be considered
at the end of the year, from the point of view of the Huddersfield
Experimental Act, and the attention of the Home Secretary would be
called to the proposal to inquire into the question of the insurance of
infant life. As to the proposed restrictions in regard to mothers working
in factories, it was only just beginning to be found out the amount of
disease due to pre-natal causes; but infantile mortality often sprang from
other causes than those which the factory inspector could prevent. The
question of infant feeding would be further inquired into, and dealt with
by a Departmental Order—or legislation if necessary. The tendency on
the part of people to spend on beer what they should lay out on food for
their children, and for securing that leisure which should be given to the
expectant mother, was one of the contributing factors towards the high
infantile mortality rates in districts where housing was relatively good,
and where wages were fairly high, as compared with other districts.
The Infant Life Protection Act, 1897* (see footnote.)
60 and 61, Vic. cap. 57.
Section 2 enacts the following as to persons retaining or receiving for
hire infants for the purpose of maintenance to give notice thereof, viz.:—
* Infant Life Protection Bill,
Presented by Mr. Staveley Hill. Ordered to be printed 19th February, 1907.
1. By the Infant Life Protection Act, 1897, a person receiving for hire or reward
more than one infant under five years of age for the purpose of nursing or maintaining
such infants apart from their parents for longer than forty-eight hours, or receiving an
infant under two years of age, to bring up in consideration of a sum of money not
exceeding twenty pounds paid down, is obliged to give notice thereof within forty-eight
hours to the local authority, as defined in such Act. Such local authority is obliged to
appoint inspectors to inspect such infants. Failure to give such notice renders the
offender liable in the first-mentioned case to a fine of not less than five pounds, or to
imprisonment for not more than six months, and in the second-mentioned case to only
forfeiture of the amount received. If any infant, as aforesaid, is kept in any house or
premises which are so unfit or overcrowded as to endanger its health, or is retained or
received by any person who by reason of negligence, ignorance, or other cause, is so unfit
as to endanger the child's health, the local authority may order the removal of the
infant to the workhouse or a place of safety until it can be restored to its relatives or
guardians or otherwise lawfully disposed of.
2. The object of this Bill is to extend the provisions of the Act to cases where only
one child is taken in to be nursed or maintained, and to any child received in consideration
of a sum of money paid down, whatever the amount may be ; to raise to seven years
the age-limit of children within the Act; to render any person failing to notify the