The Jersey City news., 1906-01-03
New Jersey State Board
of Children's Guardians
Makes It's Seventh Report
to the Governor
PRESIDENT F0x's SUGGESTION
AMENDMENT TO THE ACT RE
LATING TO THE DEsERTIoN OF
CHILDREN BY THEIR FATHERS
RECOMMENDED.

/ governor the New Jersey State Board
of Children's Guardians remarks that in
spite or the general condition of pros
perity in the State. and the fact that
| there has been noticing to disturb the
labor market, the commitments Of de-
pendent children have continued to in
crease. No less than 21S children have
been committed during ehe year, more
than half of whom have come from Hud-
SON County The board fees that to a
certain extent the increase may be
taken to indicate confidence in the
method and conduct of its work. and
says it has every reason to believe that
the county and municipal authorities
are we'll satisfied with it, and that the
friends and relatives of the children feel.
sure that they will be well cared for.
President Hugh f. Fox says it is only
i by the utmost vigilance on the part of
the board and it's steady pressure upon
| the committing officers that the numbers
of dependent children are kept within
reasonable bounds. Tie investigation Of
| the children who are newly committed is,
he says, so clearly in the interests of
the counties that no local official has yen-
tured yet to question it. In the opinion
i
of Mr.. Fox it ought not to be necessary,
/ for the state board to make such an in
yestigation, and the very thoroughness.
of its work in this direction, he says, en-
courages the overseers Of the poor TO
laxity. OF the 21S children committed
during the year, eighty-four We're found
to have relatives able, and in many cases
perfectly willing, to give them support.
and the children were accordingly turned
| over to them.
Mss Frances Day. general agent Of
! the board, makes the suggestion that the
board should have jurisdiction over the
mothers of illegitimate children who are
committed TO an almshouse. President
Fox suggests that this could be covered
by an amendment to the desertipn act
which at present deals only with desert
ing fathers. A bin to cover this point
was introduced at the last session of
the legislature. but no action was taken.
Mr.. Fox says the Importance of the
measure was not appreciated and urges
! its adoption when the legislature is again
convened. In his comments ON the work
of the board President Fox says:-
The small increase in cur annual APP
| preparation which was granted BY the
last Legislature is enough, with 3scfupu-
| lous economy, to cover our present adj
ministrative needs, within the strict line.
of the duties entrusted to us. But it
does not allow any margin for the extra
service which we are often called upon
to render in behalf of children who are
the victims of cruelty or neglect. There
! are number Of communities which
have not as vet organized societies for
| the protection of childrsip and frequent
appeals lave come to us to investigate
alleged abuses. Some of the leading
] children's aid societies have also urged,
that the state board of guardians should
be charged with definite responsibility in
| agencies and societies involving the
| power Of intervention when it may be
found needed and possibly some degree.
of supervision. While we do not seek an
extension of power or additional respon-
sibilty. we could not shirk such duties
| if they We're entrusted to US. But it
must be clearly understood that this
would involve additional expense, for
which provision would have to be made
| by the State. Our present board is
worked to It's limit and it wouid be
| necessary to employ another investiga-
tor if such work is to be done by this
board. In this connection we are re-
peatedly obliged to emphasize the fact
that, this board has absolutely no juris-
dicton over children who have not been.
committed as public charges, and that
we have no legal righE to intervene in
behalf of children who are cruelty
treated, unless they are our wards.
We have only once aad to cali upon
/, the attorney general for legal assistance
during the past year. On that occasion
h.s prompt appearance in court and the
thoroughness and efficiency with which
his department handled the case, re-
suited in an Immediate settlement of the
difficulty
Miss Frances Day, n her report as
general agent. makes several suggestions
based on conditions disclosed BY the in-