E.—4

12

The following is a statement of the number of deaths during the time that the infant-life-pro tectum system has been in the Department's charge : — 1908 .. .. 26 deaths out of 1,017 infants = 2-56 per cent. 1909 .. .. ..25 „ 1,181 „ =2-11 1910 .. .. ..26 „ 1,183 „ =2-19 1911 .. .. ..13 „ 1,183 „ =1-09 1912 ..12 „ 1,228 „ =0-98 1913 .. .. ..13 „ 1,330 „ =0-98 1914 .. .. ..20 „ 1,423 „ =1-40 This continued low death-rate reflects great credit on the District Agents, their assistants, the Local Visitors, and the foster-parents. Generally speaking, the Department has reason to be well satisfied with the homes in which these infants are placed. Particulars of the 20 deaths are given in the appendix. Deaths in Exempted Institutions. ■ These, with other particulars, are shown in the foregoing table relating to exempted institutions. The following is a statement of the deaths during the six years in which a record of the deaths has been kept :• — 1909 .. .. .. 66 deaths out of 749 infants dealt with = 8-81 per cent. 1910.. .. ..63 „ 915 „ =6-08 1911.. .. ..47 „ 899 „ =5-23 1912.. .. ..36 „ 911 „ =3-95 1913.. .. ..18 „ 984 „ =1-82 1914 .. .. .. 37 „ 944 „ = 3-91 Particulars of the deaths in these institutions during 1914 are given in the appendix. > Adoptions, 1914. During the year 256 orders of adoption were made, and two orders cancelling two adoption orders. Forty-nine of the adoption orders provided for premiums, and 207 were without monetary consideration. The following shows the ages of the adopted children :—

Age. With Premium. Without Premium. Total. Under 6 months .. 33 Between 6 months and 12 months .. .. .5 „ 1 and 2 years .. .. .. .. 6 2 „ 3 „ .. .. .. .. 3 3 „ 4 „ .. .. 1 4 „ 5 „ 5 „ 6 „ .. 6 „ 7 „ .. .. .. 1 7 „ 8 , 8 „ 9 „ .. 9 „ 10 „ .. „ 10 „ 11 „ .. „ 11 „ 12 „ .. „ 12 „ 13 „ .. 13 „ '14 „ „ 14 „ 15 „ .. 4.Q 33 5 6 3 1 1 1 I i 54 22 38 24 10 17 11 7 3 3 4 3 2 2 2 5 OYY7 54 22 38 24 10 17 II 7 3 3 4 3 2 2 2 5 .S7 27 14 27 11 17 11 8 3 3 4 3 2 2 2 5 4» The adopting persons were— Husband and wife jointly Husband alone Wife alone Widow Spinster 49 i UU7 207 256 242 2 1 7 4 The amount of the premiums ranged from £6 10s. to £100,