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Appendix 7.
Summary of six cases, illustrating the working of the Pó Léung Kuk.
I forward herewith for the information of the members of the Committee a summary of six cases, which have come under my notice within the last few days and which fairly well illustrate the usefulness of the Pó Léung Kuk and the manner in which it co-operates with this Department. If members of the Committee can find time to call here before our next meeting, I shall be pleased to show them the records of this Department connected with the Pó Léung Kuk and to give them any other information they may desire.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.
HONGKONG, 4th June, 1892.
Case No. 1.
A woman CH'AN LUK sentenced to imprisonment for kidnapping, had a child in arms, which she could not nurse. The Convents were willing to take the child, but refused to undertake to haud it back to the woman when discharged from prison. The child was accordingly sent to the Pó Léung Kuk and a nurse provided for it.
Case No. 2.
A girl named NG YUK, who appeared at the Emigration Office, and stated she was going to Singapore to be a prostitute, was detained, as on being questioned she was unable to give satisfactory answers, and sent by order of the Registrar General to the Pó Léung Kuk, with a request that the Committee would inquire into her case. The Committee did so and ascertained that the woman was not going to be a prostitute, that she had said she was, because she thought she would be passed more easily by the Emigration Officer, that she was a married woman, that her husband wished to take her to Singapore, and that the statements made by husband and wife agreed. A copy of the girl's statement was taken down and forwarded to the Registrar General, who handed the woman over to her husband.
Case No. 3.
A girl CH'AN CHUN Ho, aged 19, was detained at the examination before the Emigration Officer of female emigrants, brought to this office, and sent to Pó Léung Kuk to be cared for pending further enquiries. The Committee reported that the girl wished to be married and that a respectable man was willing to secure the person whom the girl wished to marry. The parties appeared before the Registrar General, who questioned the girl and having ascertained she wished to marry the man in question, and having made enquiries regarding the surety, approved of the marriage. A bond was accordingly entered into by the person about to marry the girl and by the surety, the conditions of the bond being that the person about to marry the girl will properly care for her, will not ill treat, nor sell, nor make a prostitute of her nor allow her to enter any brothel. Before the marriage takes place, the documents usual in Chinese marriages will be presented and recorded in the Registrar General's Office.
Case No. 4.
An Annamese girl was found on board the S. S. Cicero, and sent by the Captain Superintendent of Police to the Registrar General, who forwarded her to the Pó Léung Kuk with the request that a home might be found for her and enquiries made regarding her case. Inquiries were made by the Pó Léung Kuk accordingly and the girl's statement taken down and sent to the Registrar General who forwarded it to the Consul for France with a request that he would kindly take steps to send the girl back to Annam. The Consul replied by sending a passage ticket and a letter for the Captain of the Steamer by which the girl will be taken back.
Case No. 5.
LAU HI, a girl aged 19, was detained by the Registrar General, when applying to be registered as a prostitute as he had doubts regarding her freedom, and sent to the Pó Léung Kuk for inquiry and report. Through the exertions of the Committee the father of the girl was found and it was discovered that the girl bad never been a prostitute before, but had been brought into this Colony for that purpose by an old As the father wished to take back his daughter to the country to have her married, she was handed over to him by the Registrar General under a bond taken under section 14 of Ordinance 11 of 1890, the condition of which is that the girl will be produced within 24 hours when required. The security in this case was Mr. LAU PIK T'ONG of the CHONG Woo, Silversmith Shop, Queen's Road Central.
woman.
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