The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-02
ALAS THE POOR ORPHAN
Legislator Wrangle Over the County
Roard of Gnsrdfane Meaeure.

Especial to 1.-The Jersey City News.,1
TRENTON, Mar. 2, 1S9S.-William M.
Lanning, a Trenton lawyer, representing
the New Jersey Children's Home Society
met with the Senate Committee on the re-
vision Of laws yesterday, and to consider
the bill providing for county Boards Of
guardians which has aroused SO much CD
post ion throughout the State. Mr.. Lanning
Severely criticised the bill prepared by Mrs.
Williamson and Mr.. Fox, and submitted a
substitute which was all right because he had
drawn it himself.
The substitute provides that it shall be
lawful for any parent to grant unto any
society incorporated under the laws of New
Jersey for the purpose of providing homes
for homeless or dependent children Che care.
custody and control of a child for the full
term of the child's minority. The grant Of
the child is to be in writing, and to be
acknowledged in the same way deeds are.
The bill further provides that ii the father
or mother of any child is hopelessly intern
perate or insane or shall nave abandoned
such child, it shall be lawful for the other
parent to petition the Orphans Court for
an order committing the child to the care of
some orphanage or society for the full term
OF his or her minority.
When it is found that both parents are
hopelessly insane or Incorporate, or when
parents have abandoned a child, there it
shall be lawful for any citizen of the State
to present the petition to the Orphans
Court.
By the fourth section of the bill, it is made
the duty of the steward of any aims house
Of which any child between the ages of two
and sixteen years may be an inmate to
apply to the Orphans Court TO have such
child committed to such an orphanage or
asylum. If the Steward neglects to carry
out this provision any citizen may apply to
the court and have the child committed.
This provision, however, does not apply to
any child that is an unteachable idiot or an
epileptic or a paralytic or otherwise so disa-
bled or diseased as to maxi it improbable
that any family home can be secured for
such a child.
Before making the decree the court is re-
quired to investigate all the facts as set forth
in the petition, as well as the religious pro-
fession OF belief of the child or its parents
or nearest relations. il any.
Within ten days after making adecree COM
uniting any child TO an orphanage or society,
such institution shall file an acceptance of the
child a1ldthe same shall be recorded. From the
date of fling such acceptance all right and
authority over the child is absolutely for
feited.
The bill makes it lawful for any ~orphanage
or children's home or society to whom the
care of any child has been granted, to grant
the custody and control of such child for
any term mutually agreed upon, not to ex-
coed the child's minority, to such man or
woman as such institution may consider fit
and proper for the care and control of the
child. Tn person to whom the grant may
be made, shall sign an agreement to cause
child to be taught and instructed to read
and write.
The committee took the bill, and in view
of the great opposition to the commis-S
sion's bill, may report Mr., L~anning's meas;
ure as a substitute.