HL Deb 13 May 1897 vol 49 cc317-8

(1.) Should any infant, in respect of which notice is required to be given under this Act,—

  1. (a) be kept in any house or premises which are so unfit as to endanger its health; or
  2. (b) be retained or received by any person who, by reason of negligence, ignorance, or other cause, is so unfit to have its care and maintenance as to endanger its health;
any inspector or other person appointed for the purposes of this Act may apply to the local authority for an order in writing directing him to remove such infant to a workhouse or place of safety until it can be restored to its relatives or guardians or be otherwise lawfully disposed of.

(2.) Any person refusing to comply with an order under this section upon the same being produced and read over to him, or obstructing the inspector or other authorised person in the execution thereof, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and the inspector may apply to any justice of the peace for an order directing the removal of the child, and such order may be enforced by any police constable.

(3.) The master of any workhouse shall receive into the workhouse any child brought there under such order, and such child shall be maintained in the workhouse until it can be otherwise disposed of.

(4.) Infants shall not be retained or received for hire or reward by any person from whose care any infant has been removed under this section, unless with the sanction in writing of the local authority.

THE EARL OF DENBIGH

moved, in paragraph (a), Sub-section (1), after the word "unfit" to insert the words "or so overcrowded." He moved them, he said, as an additional protection to children, and in deference to urgent representations he had received from people interested in the question, and more especially from various medical authorities.

Amendment agreed to.

THE EARL OF DENBIGH

moved, in Sub-section (4), to leave out the words "Infants shall not," and to insert the words, "No infant shall." He explained that this was a drafting Amendment, intended to make it clear that no person who had been convicted of cruelty to children should be allowed to keep even one child for hire or reward.

Amendment agreed to.

THE EARL OF DENBIGH

moved the following consequential Amendments: —

Sub-section (4) after the word "section" to insert the words:— or by any person convicted of any offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to and Protection of Children Acts.

Sub-section (4) after the word "authority" to insert the words: — and any person retaining or receiving any infant contrary to this section shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

Amendments agreed to; Clause as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 7,—