1.—4.

Exempted Institutions. From the provision that " it shall not be lawful for any person in consideration of any payment or reward to receive or retain in his care or charge any infant for the purpose of nursing or maintaining it apart from its parents or guardians for a longer period than seven consecutive days unless such person is licensed as a foster-parent " the Minister may grant certain exemptions, and under this authority exemption has been granted to the institutions set forth, in the following list, which shows also the numbers dealt with and the deaths. The conditions of the exemptions provide for inspection, and for removal of the infants only with duo formality.

Deaths in Foster-homes. Of the 1,440 infants that were at one time or another on the books as being in foster-homes during 1915, 14 died. Of these, 10 died in the foster-homes and 4 in hospitals or nursing-homes to which they had been removed for treatment, so that the deaths in foster-homes represented 0'75 per cent, of the total number dealt with. Nine of the 14 were under the age of twelve months, and 11 were of illegitimate birth. The following is a statement of the number of deaths during the time that the infant-life-protection 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 1915 .. .. ..14 „ 1,440 „ =0-98 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.

11

Exempted Institutions. Prom the provision that " it shall not be lawful for any person in consideration of a reward to receive or retain in his caie or charge any infant for the purpose of nursing or apart from its parents or guardians for a longer period than seven consecutive days unl. is licensed as a foster-parent " the Minister may grant certain exemptions, and under exemption has been granted to the institutions set forth, in the following list, which numbers dealt with and the deaths. The conditions of the exemptions provide for insp. removal of the infants only with due formality. my payme : maintaini ess such pe this auth shows alsc ■ection, an< snt or ing it ei'son ority o the d for Adl t9il!° us ' Deaths - XI CD © co sn _ij a. o co G fl &£ ai 7? . w fl ac cu: q . OcD d ° 0 Cd rn 1 " Name of Institution. oc co'o w~ p< cc oo |5f CO P CO l-Sfl flcD | *,B fl Ob fl9 Ld«H OB IAb I GO (2.) (3.) (4) I (5.) 1 (6.) On the Bool :sist Decembe ks at 3r,I!)J5. en P . O CD "f CD go fl o P (I.) <D I 3 . I i-ga co* 1 ! a co 7-4-1 o b So S§ "g -§ p I « H (7.) 1(80 g.0 2°cc •*! flfl if a (9.1 The Door of Hope, Auckland .. .. .. 22 | 10 37 8 .. 3 Mission House of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Auckland .. .. | .. 16 The Methodist Orphanage, Mount Albert, Auokland .. .. .... 3 .. I .. The Orphan Home, Papatoetoe, Auckland .. .. 7 .. ' .. St. Mary's Orphanage, Epsom, Auckland .. .. .... 2 17 .. j .. St. Vincont's Home of Compassion, Epsom, Auckland .. .. .. .. .. I .. St. Joseph's Orphanage, Takapuna, Auckland .. .. .. 1 10 The Manurewa Children's Home, Auckland .. .. 6 .... Children's Home, Ponsonby, Auckland .. .. 9 Leslie Presbyterian Orphanage, Remuera, Auckland .. .. .... 9 St. Mary's Home, Ofcahuhu, Auckland .. .. 80 5 85 2 1 5 Salvation Army Samaritan Home, Gisborne.. .. .. 14 3 38 Cook County Women's Guild Creche, Gisborne .. 23 Salvation Army Bethany Home, Napier .. .. .. 3 ! 2 9 Wanpanui Orphanage, Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. I .. 2 Children's Home, Palmerston North .. .. .. .... 3 Salvation Army Children's Home, Wellington .. .. .. j 4 .. I The Levin Memorial Home, Wellington .. .. Presbyterian Orphanage, Wellington .. .. 1 Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Wellington .. .. 9 2 81 1 .. 2 St. Joseph's Orphanage, Upper Hutt, Wellington .. 53 St. Mary's Orphanage, Nelson .. .. .. 2 Salvation Army Maternity Home, Christchurch .. .. 2 .. 2 Sacred Heart Orphanago, Mount Magdala, Christchurch .. 3 .. 20 Nazareth House, Christohurch .. .. .. 18 Methodist Orphanage and Children's Home, Papanui, Christohurch Presbyterian Orphanage, Papanui, Christchuroh .. 5 St. Saviour's Home, Shirley, Christohurch .. .. 6 Children's Convalescent Cottage, New Brighton .. 29 St. Mary's Orphanage, Mornington, Dunedin .. 8 Salvation Army Home, Bishopscourt, Dunedin .. 31 1 .. 1 St. Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, South Dunedin .. .. 1 2 6 Glondining Home, Anderson's Bay, Dunedin .. 4 Salvation Army Home, Middlemarch .. .. 2 Victoria Memorial Home, Invercargill .. .. .. 9 1 12 37 16 3 7 17 3 | 3 4 2 6 35 9 16 24 25 23 15 12 10 40 7 9 4 9 7 5 1 5 49 36 15 i .. I 10 6 9 9 35 38 23 9 2 3 4 '2 .. 1 'a i a 14 6 i 2 1 31 53 2 2 20 18 i 1 2 2 6 2 8 28 20 3 5 6 29 8 31 6 4 2 12 i 1 1 2 3 I 10 4 10 11 14 10 7 2 i i Totals for 1915 .. .. 93 28 458 7 1 11 458 7 1 11 26 22 486 Totals for 1914 .. .. .. 174 59 480 17 9 37 480 17 9 37 45 51 568 Deaths in Foster-homes. Of the 1,440 infants that wore at one time or another on the books as being in foster-homes during 19.15, 14 died. Of these, 10 died in the foster-homes and 4 in hospitals or nursing-homes to which they liad been removed for treatment, so that the deaths in foster-homes represented 0'75 per cent, of the total number dealt with. Nine of the 14 were under the age of twelve months, and 11 were of illegitimate birth. The following is a statement of the number of deaths during the time that the infant-life-protection system has been in the Department's charge :— 1908 .. .. .. 26 deaths out of 1,017 infants = 2-56 per oent. 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 1915 .. .. ..14 „ 1,440 „ =0-98 Tills 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.