23

E. I

Numbers. The uuinber of infante thai have been dealt with in oik: w a \ or another (lining the year is 1,181 : the number for last year was 1,017. At the end of the year there were 726 on the books, being 78 more than there were Lit the beginning of the year. The Following tnble summarizes the transactions : Particulars oj Admissions to and Removals iron/ Licensed Foster-homes duriny 1909. ,; J: -M », -t ir. . cc ! |i 1. 1. i. I. I. if I I 1 I* I* J* I* I* Hi * Enteral Oti the Books. On the books at the beginning 97 LO3 149 103 IX 66 36 I<> 648 of the year Placed in licensed homes during 258 83 77 30 32 15 15 .. 510 the year Adopted with premium (exclu- 18 4 ! .. .. .. .. .. 23 sive of those already on the books) Total .. .. .. .. .. 1,181 Withdrawn from and remaining on the Books. Removed from foster-homes by 17 r>2 88 42 35 17 II 4 296 patents or guardians Deaths .. .. .. II 8 5 1 25 Adoptions from licensed homes 6 5 8 .'! I I t .. 28 without premiums In homes to which exemption was l> 5 I 2 '■'< .. .. .. 17 granted Brought under operation of the 7 1 '.I 5 1112 30 Industrial Schools Act Written off the books for various l> 12 8 5 1 2 I 2 23 59 causes On the hooks at 31st December, 82 91 195 121 78 75 55 29 726 1909 Total .. .. .. .. .. 1.181 The operations of the Ait depend upon the existence of monetary consideration in the arrange inent for keeping the infant, and if the persons concerned deny the existence of such consideration it is almost impossible to prove the contrary. A foster-parent, for instance, recently returned her license on the ground thai she intended to keep the infant without payment. Her statement was confirmed by the infant's mother. No good reason appeared for this benevolence, but no other evidence was obtainable, and the infant is consequently m> longer under supervision. That mi suspicion of improper motive attaches to this case dors noi affect its value as an illustral ion. Foster-homes. The 72(i infants on the books at the end of the year were in foster-homes as follows : In 436 homes each having one ... ... ... ... ... 435 In 84 homes each having two ..: ... ... ... ... 168 In 24 homes each having three ... ... ... ... ... 72 In 6 homes each having four ... ... ... ... ... 24 In 3 homes each having five ... ... ... ... ... 15 In 2 homes each having sis ... .. ... 12 554 Total of children 726 Twenty-two of the homes were those in which children under si\ were boarded out by Charitable Aid Boards. The total number of licensed homes was 754. so that at the end of the year there were 200 licensed homes in which, for the time, no infants were boarded. Every home is limited to a stated number of infants, but whether that Dumber is one or more depends upon the circumstances: in view of the varying conditions of the homes it is not considered necessary to lay down any precise rule upon the subject. Wherever the circumstances appear to require it, care is taken to define specifically the number of infants of twelve months or under that may be maintained at one time in a home. During the year there were 128 transfers of infants from one home to another. If it should become possible to extend to foster-parents the Government guarantee contemplated by the Act, many quite unnecessary transfers would be avoided, under the provision which vests in the Department the guardianship of infants for whose maintenance it has to pay,