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32
or other control over persons who receive into their homes, for
the purpose of nursing or maintaining, any number of infants
apart from their parents for any period under 48 hours. This
Act provides that:—
(Sec. 2). "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 48
hours, shall within the said 48 hours give notice thereof to
the local authority."
The Act also enables the Local Authority to appoint
male or female inspectors to enforce the Act. Further, it empowers
the Local Authority to fix the number of infants under
the age of five which may be retained or received into any
dwelling in respect of which notice has been received under
the Act.
Special provisions are made for dealing with children
kept in premises which are unfit or overcrowded, and it provides
power to remove infants to a workhouse or place of safety from
any person who, from negligence, ignorance or other cause, is
so unfit to have its care. The relatives or guardians of any
infant by them retained are exempt from the operations of
the Act.
The Local Authority for the execution of the Act in the
County of London is the London County Council; in the City
of London, the Common Council; and in other places, the
Board of Guardians.
From information we have before us even in this district,
I am fully convinced that the following amendments will be of
great benefit:—
(a) That the controlling authority should be the
Borough Council, if for no other reason than the fact that