The Infants’ Custody Act 1854 [1/1854 (18 Vic. No.1)] allowed mothers to claim custody of children under the age of seven who had been in the care of their fathers, upon the father’s death. It did not apply, though, to women who had ‘criminal conversation’, or adultery, findings against them. It was repealed by the…
The Infants’ Marriage Settlements Act 1856 [ 2/1856 (20 Vic. No.2)], was also known as ‘An Act to enable Infants, with the approbation of the Supreme Court in its Equitable Jurisdiction, to make binding settlements of their real and personal estate on marriage’. This Act allowed some young men and women who were minors, and…
The Apprenticeship Act 1844 [2/1844 (8 Vic. No.2)], also known as ‘An Act to regulate and amend the Law of Orphan and other Apprentices in the Colony of New South Wales’, increased penalties on child ‘apprentices’ who ‘absconded’, including prison terms. It also increased penalties on masters and employers who mistreated or abandoned children. This…
The Custody of Infants Act 1875 [23/1875 (39 Vic. No.16)] dealt with the ways Courts had to treat separation and custody arrangements between parents. It provided that the ‘next friend’ of a mother could petition the Supreme Court to allow a mother to have access or custody of her children. This Act was repealed by…
The Apprenticeship Act 1851 [2/1851 (15 Vic. No.2)], also known as ‘An Act to make further provision for the apprenticing of the Children in the Male and Female Orphan Schools and other poor Children’, amended the Apprenticeship Act 1844. It gave greater powers to supervisors of the Male and Female Orphan Schools. It gave them…
The Apprenticeship Act 1828, also known as ‘An Act for enabling persons holding certain Public Offices in New South Wales to take Apprentices to serve under them and their Successors in Office and for regulating all matters relating to Masters and Apprentices’, [98/1828 (9 Geo. IV No.8)] allowed apprentices to be bound, as well as…
The Deserted Wives and Children Act 1840 [10/1840 (4 Vic. No.5)] was created to protect women and children who had been ‘deserted’ by their husbands or fathers, and left without financial support. It included ‘illegitimate’ as well as legitimate children in its terms, so long as proving paternity didn’t rest only on the mother’s oath….
The Adoption Information Act 1990 (63/1990) was ‘An Act to allow greater access to information relating to adoptions’. It was an important piece of legislation that reversed much of the secrecy relating to adoptions. This act improved the rights of all people involved in adoption to access information and created registers so adoptees and relinquishing…
The Deserted Wives and Children Act (17/1901) was ‘An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to Deserted Wives and Children.’ It was created to ensure men supported their wives and children. Deserting a wife or child was made a criminal offence in the Crimes Act 1900. Initially this Act permitted orders to be made for…
The Family Endowment Act 1927, passed by the Lang Labor government, introduced a new payment to families in New South Wales. Family endowment was a flat rate paid to all non-Aboriginal families, irrespective of circumstances and is considered the first universal welfare payment made in Australia. It made a significant difference to the wellbeing of…
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
