ABANDONING CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2687, 17 December 1909, Page 5

ABANDONING CHILDREN.

SHOCKING DISCLOSURES

[Pun Press Association. l WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. When the Industrial Schools Bill was under consideration in committee in the Legislative Council, the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson drew' attention to the practice as reported in Thursday morning’s press, which had grown up of dropping young children on the banks of, the Wanganui River, so that they could be adopted by the Maoris, and urged thatsomething should be done to stop the practice. It had grown to such an extent that they had heard that in one case four children between the ages of four and nine years, who could not speak or read English, were living under such conditions that consumption seemed almost a certainty. The Attorney-General said he was glad that the matter had been mentioned. He had been very shocked to read the reports alluded to. and was calling for police reports on the whole position. The law. as it stood, was sufficient to meet the case if established, but the law they were then passing would help them in dealing with the position. Replying to suggestions, the Minister said that his first duty was the safetv of the children. Having achieved that, he would, as Minister of Justice, if permitted, deal with the parents too.