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(Sub-section 1)—Any person retaining or receiving for hire or reward
in that behalf more than one infant under the age of five years for the
purpose of nursing or maintaining such infants apart from their parents
for a longer period than forty-eight hours, shall within the said forty-eight
hours give notice thereof to the local authority.
(Sub section 2) Such notice shall truly state the name, age and sex
of such infants, the name of the person receiving the infants, and the
dwelling within which such infants are being kept, and the name and
address of the person or persons from whom the infants have been
received.
(Sub-section 3)—If any such infant is removed from the care of the
person who has received the infant for the purpose aforesaid, such person
shall forthwith give to the local authority notice of the removal, and of the
name and address of the person to whose care the infant has been transferred.
(Sub-section 4)—If any person who has retained or received any
infant as aforesaid omits to give the said notices, or any of them, or
knowingly or wilfully makes or causes or procures any other person to
make any false statement in any such notice, he shall be guilty of an
offence against this Act.
At a Meeting of the Metropolitan Branch of the Incorporated Society
of Medical Officers of Health, held on 22nd June, the following resolution
was passed unanimously :—
" That, in the opinion of the Metropolitan Branch of the Incor"
porated Society of Medical Officers of Health, it is desirable in
" the interests of public health that Section 2 of the Infant Life
" Protection Act, 1897, should be amended in order to provide for
" the control of persons receiving for hire or reward, for a period of
" 48 hours, one or more infants under the age of five years; and,
" further, that in London the controlling authorities under the Act
" should be the Borough Councils."
reception of an infant, adopted in consideration of a lump sum payment, to fine or
imprisonment as above mentioned, as well as to forfeiture of the amount received; to make
it clear that the inspection of children within the Act shall extend up to their reaching
seven years or earlier removal by the local authority; to enable the local authority to
remove an infant kept by a person who is unfit by reason of character or otherwise to
have its care and maintenance, or who is in a house or premises unsuitable for the
purpose, although such person or premises are not so unfit as to endanger the child's
health ; and to require notice to be given of all changes of residence of a person having
the care or custody of children within the Act under penalty of imprisonment or fine.