View report page

93
As a case in point, it was ascertained that in one instance a Jewish parent
registered a birth as having occurred on the 19th August, whereas, as a fact,
the child was born on the 6th May, as notified by the midwife who attended
the parent.
In another instance, a parent having business premises in the City and his
home in Finsbury, registered the child as having been born in the City.
There are some grounds for believing that many people are under the
impression that children born in the City acquire thereby certain rights and
privileges.
I am informed that it is a common occurrence for persons born in the City,
when making application for taking up the Freedom of the City at the
Chamberlain's Court, to expect that they are entitled to it without any
payment.
Incorrect registrations, when discovered, were reported to the Registrars
for the information of the Registrar-General.
Delails are given on page 17 of mortality in the City of children under
one year of age.
The number of visits paid to infants during the year was 942.
In the course of these visits, 47 sanitary defects found were remedied by
the district Sanitary Inspectors.
As it might be thought by some that the simplest method of ensuring
early notification of births would have been to compel registration of births
within five days, as is required in the case of deaths by the Births and Deaths
Registration Acts, I submit the Registrar-General's opinion on the matter
given before the Notification of Births Act was passed.
"After serious consideration of the situation as it presents itself
"to me, I have come to the conclusion that, whilst it would be unwise
"at present to disturb the existing organisation of birth registration,
"a well-devised system of early notification—legalized and worked in
"conjunction with the present registration system on the one hand,
"and with sanitary administration on the other—might, along with other
"motive forces, serve as a most effective and lasting barrier with which
"to stem the tide of infant mortality."
From the experience already obtained in the working of the Notification of
Births Act there is reason to believe this prediction will be in a great measure
realized.