I
201
“
- 15·
K.
From Sir Thomas Wade's Documentary Series of the “ Tsz-urh-chi.”
SALE OF A DAUGHTER TO BE A CONCUBINE.
"Ng Fung-ming, the party signing this deed of sale being in great poverty, has, through the agency of To I, sold his own daughter, Ng Üt-chan, aged seventeen, to U-lo-ye, for a concubine. "It having been agreed in the presence of the agent that the price to be paid for her should be Six "hundred taels, (about £200) and this sum having been paid in full in the presence of the agent, "the purchaser is free, from the time of the sale, to take away the seller's daughter, namely Ng "Üt-chan: nor will the seller or the seller's wife gainsay his right. These parties also agree once for "all that they will never more hold intercourse with her, or visit her. If she infringe the regula- "tions of Ü lo-ye's household, he will be free as head of the family to correct her; it will not be in "her father's power to interfere. If she fall sick or die young, (it will be held to be) the will of "Heaven. For any intrigue or fraud (on the part of her parents), the agent To I will be responsible. "This deed of sale is expressly executed lest hereafter there should be no evidence of the sale. Signed with the finger mark of Ng Fung-ming and Ting his wife, being the parties executing the "deed and by the agent To I."
KE
NOTE. This woman would be called among foreigners the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th wife of Mr. U. The so-called 2nd, 3rd, and 4th wives are concubines and nothing else. A Chinaman has only one wife properly so-called. She often procures the concubine for her husband; but the children are
· regarded as having equal rights with those of the "number one wife.”
J. R.
L.
No. 6 of 1873.
An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the Advice of the Legislative Council thereof, for the better Protection of Chinese Women and Female Children, and for the Repression of certain Abuses in relation to Chinese Emigration.
W
[8th May, 1873.]
́HEREAS it is expedient to make better Provision for the Punishment of Persons guilty of selling, purchasing, or decoying into the Colony, or unlawfully detain- ing therein Chinese Women and female Children for the Purpose of Prostitution, and of decoying Chinese into or away from this Colony for the Purpose of Emigration, or for any other Purpose whatsoever: Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the Advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:
I. Whosoever shall bring, lead, take, decoy, or entice into the Colony any Woman or female Child with Intent to sell her for the Purpose of Prostitution, or who shall sell or purchase any Woman or female Child for the purpose aforesaid, or who shall know- ingly derive any Profit from the Sale or Purchase of any Woman or female Child so sold or purchased as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a Misdemeanour, and on Conviction thereof, shall be liable to the Punishments hereinafter provided.
II. Whosoever shall unlawfully detain any Woman or female Child in any Place against her Will with the Intent that she may become a Prostitute, or for any other Purpose whatsoever, or who shall by any false Pretences, false Representations, or other fraudulent Means procure any Woman or female Child to have illicit carnal Connexion with any Man, shall be guilty of a Misdemeanour, and on Conviction thereof, shall be liable to the Punishments hereinafter provided.
III. Whosoever shall unlawfully receive, or harbor any Woman or female Child with Intent that such Woman or female Child should be sold or purchased for the Purpose of Prostitution, shall be guilty of a Misdemeanour, and on Conviction thereof, shall be liable to the Punishments hereinafter provided.
IV. Whosoever shall unlawfully by Force or Fraud imprison or detain any Person within the Colony, for the Purpose of Emigration, or for any other Purpose whatsoever, shall be guilty of a Misdemeanour, and on Conviction thereof, shall be liable to the Punish- ments hereinafter provided.
V. Whosoever shall unlawfully, by Force, Intimidation, or any fraudulent Means bring, lead, take, decoy, or entice any Person into or away from the Colony, for the Purpose of Emigration, or for any other Purpose whatsoever, shall be guilty of a Misde- meanour, and on Conviction thereof, shall be liable to the Punishments hereinafter provided. VI. Every Person who shall be convicted of any Offence against the Provisions of this Ordinance shall be liable to be imprisoned for any Term not exceeding Two Years with or without Hard Labour.
VII. All Offences against this Ordinance may be heard and determined summarily by two Magistrates sitting together, who shall constitute a Court for this Purpose: Provided that if at the Close of the Investigation, the Accused shall apply for a Trial by Jury, or the Magistrates shall be of opinion that the Case ought to be so tried, they may commit the Accused for Trial at the Supreme Court.
Title.
Preamble.
Abduction of
A Woman of female Child with Intent,
Acc.
Selling or purchasing.
Detaining a Woman or female Child for Purpose of Prostitution.
Receiving or Harbouring with Intent,
&c.
Unlawful Imprisonment or Detention.
Decoying Persons into To away from the Colony,
Punishment for Offences.
Trial of Offences.
VIII. The Provisions of Section LXVI of Ordinance No. 4 of 1865 shall apply to every Summary Conviction under this Ordinance.
Suminary Convictions.