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11
Appointment of Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.—In
October the Council resolved to appoint
under the provisions of the Maternity and Child Welfare
Act, 1918, a Maternity and Child Welfare Committee, to
consist of twelve members, eight of the members to be
members of the Borough Council and four to be selected
from women nominated by the Voluntary Associations
engaged in infant welfare in the borough, the Women's
Labour Council and the Women's Co-operative Guild,
and in November the committee was constituted of the
following members:—Aldermen A. Cook and J. M.
Littleboy; Councillors Dr. J. J. Edwards, W. Fowell,
A. McLean, D. Morgan, F. J. Shaw and W. Wilkinson;
Miss P. Plater, Miss Wickham, Mrs. Norman and Mrs.
Warmington.
The Committee having considered the provisions of
the Maternity and Child Welfare Act and the circulars of
the Local Government Board on Maternity and Child
Welfare, submitted a scheme drafted by the Medical*
Officer of Health for the consideration of the Council.
The report and the recommendations of the Committee
which have been adopted by the Council, are printed as
an Appendix to this report.
Medical Assistance to Midwives in Cases of Emergency.—
In April, 1918, the Council, in response to
the request of the London County Council, undertook to
pay the fees of medical practitioners who are summoned
in accordance with the rules of the Central Midwives
Board by Registered Midwives, in consequence of
emergencies arising during the confinement of "necessitous"
women and a scale of fees ranging from three
shillings and sixpence to £2 2s , according to the nature
of the case, was adopted by the Council with the
approval of the Local Government Board. By the
Midwives Act of 1918, the responsibility for the payment
of these fees was transferred from the Borough Council
to the London County Council.