Boys to 'young persons'

The current atmosphere of heightened gender sensitivity appears to have influenced the wording of the proposed amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. For instance, an amendment to the minimum age for employment on board suggests that the words "boys not under 15 years of age" be changed to "young persons not under the age of 16 years". On similar lines, it says the phrase "any boy" be substituted with "any young person" and "the boy is a minor" with "such young person".