Infant Life Protection Act 1897

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1897 c. 57


Infant Life Protection Act, 1897.

(60 & 61 Vict.) CHAPTER 57.

An Act to amend the Law for the better Protection of Infant Life.

[6th August 1897]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same, as follows:

S-1 Short title.

1 Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as theInfant Life Protection Act, 1897.

S-2 Persons retaining or receiving for hire infants for the purpose of maintenance to give notice thereof.

2 Persons retaining or receiving for hire infants for the purpose of maintenance to give notice thereof.

(1)2.—(1.) Any person retaining or receiving for hire or reward in that behalf more than one infant under the age of five years for the purpose of nursing or maintaining such infants apart from their parents for a longer period than forty-eight hours, shall within the said forty-eight hours give notice thereof to the local authority.

(2) (2.) Such notice shall truly state the name, age, and sex of such infants, the name of the person receiving the infants, and the dwelling within which such infants are being kept, and the name and address of the person or persons from whom the infants have been received.

(3) (3.) If any such infant is removed from the care of the person who has received the infant for the purpose aforesaid, such person shall forthwith give to the local authority notice of the removal and of the name and address of the person to whose care the infant has been transferred.

(4) (4.) If any person who has retained or received any infant as aforesaid omits to give the said notices, or any of them, or knowingly or wilfully makes or causes or procures any other person to make any false statement in any such notice, he shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

S-3 Appointment and powers of inspectors, &c.

3 Appointment and powers of inspectors, &c.

(1)3.—(1.) It shall be the duty of every local authority to provide for the execution of this Act within its district, and for that purpose it shall from time to time make inquiry whether there are any persons residing therein who retain or receive infants for hire or reward within the provisions of the preceding section.

(2) (2.) A local authority may, if it think fit, appoint male or female inspectors to enforce this Act, and, if any such persons retaining or receiving infants as aforesaid are found in its district, it shall either appoint such inspectors or arrange for the infants being visited by women nominated by the local authority and authorised by it in writing to enforce the provisions of this Act.

(3) (3.) A local authority may also, if it think fit, appoint or authorise in writing other suitable persons to execute the provisions of this Act, subject to such terms and conditions as may be stated in such appointment or authorisation.

(4) (4.) Any local authority may combine with any other local authority for the purpose of executing the provisions of this Act, and for defraying the expenses of such execution.

(5) (5.) Any inspector or other person duly appointed and authorised in writing by or on behalf of the local authority shall from time to time inspect any infants referred to in any notice given under this Act, and the premises in which they are retained or received, in order to satisfy himself as to the proper maintenance of such infants or to give any necessary advice or directions as to such maintenance.

(6) (6.) If any person retaining or receiving such infants refuses to allow any such inspector or other person to inspect such infants or the premises in which they are retained or received he shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

(7) (7.) If any such inspector or other person is refused admittance to any premises in contravention of this Act, or has reason to believe that any infants under the age of five years are being kept in any house or premises in contravention of this Act, he may apply to any stipendiary magistrate or to any two justices of the peace, who, on being satisfied, on information in writing made before him or them on oath, that there is reasonable ground for believing that an offence against this Act has been committed, may grant a warrant authorising such inspector or other person to enter the house or premises for the purpose of inspection or of ascertaining whether any offence against this Act has been committed, and if the occupier of the house or premises or other person obstruct any inspector or other person acting in pursuance of such warrant, he shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

S-4 Local authority to fix number of infants which may be retained.

4 Local authority to fix number of infants which may be retained.

4. It shall be the duty of the local authority to fix the number of infants under the are of five years which may be retained or received in any dwelling in respect of which notice has been received under this Act, and any person retaining or receiving any infant in excess of the number so fixed, shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

S-5 Notice to be given to local authority by person receiving an infant for not more than 20l paid down.

5 Notice to be given to local authority by person receiving an infant for not more than 20l paid down.

5. Any person retaining or receiving an...

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