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4. Clause 2 of this Bill, when enacted, will repeal that added sub-section.
5. Section 13 of the principal Ordinance provides that the whole Ordinance, the object of which, stated in the long title, was to secure the better training of midwives and to regulate their practice, should not apply to Chinese unless. they take or use the name or title of midwife in English, or any name, title, addition or description in whatever language implying that they are certified or are persons specifically qualified to practice midwifery, or are recognised by law as midwives, or have studied modern or European midwifery.
6. Section 8 of the amending Ordinance, 1926, added a proviso to the effect that the name, title, addition or description of wan p'o in the Chinese language shall not be deemed to be a name, title, addition or description with the implications indicated in section 13 of the principal Ordin-
ance.
7. Clause 3 of this Bill, when enacted, will repeal section 13 of the principal Ordinance and its proviso.
8. The number of trained and certified midwives in the Colony in 1910 was negligible. But now there are 400 qualified midwives in private practice in addition to 16 These are considered hospitals with maternity blocks. capable of dealing with all births in the Colony especially as the number of qualified midwives is steadily increasing, 50 having been added to the roll in 1935.
9. Moreover, whereas in 1910 the fees charged by trained midwives were probably too high for the poorer classes to afford, growing competition has brought these fees practically to the level charged by the untrained wan p'os. In addition there are now 18 hospitals and 16 Government midwives offering free maternity treatment.
10. In these circumstances the Midwives Board have asked for the repeal of the provisions which permit wan p'os to continue to practise. The District Watch Committee, whilst not objecting to amendment, have suggested that a period of notice should be given to the women whose liveli- hood will be affected. Consequently clause 4 of the Bill postpones its commencement until the 1st January, 1937.
March, 1936.
C. G. ALABASTER,
Attorney General.