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But when registration took place, only the acknowledged Mui-tsai obtained by a Deed of Sale were required to register at all and so all those acquired through Deeds of Adoption and Deed of Presentation slipped through.
Even the registration of the acknowledged Mui-tsai was most inadequately carried out and no real effort made by the Authorities. The Governor of Hong Kong him- self at the very time of registration announced in a public speech that he was not in favour of the measure. It is difficult to imagine anything more likely than this to make registration a farce in the eyes of the population.
It is common knowledge in Hong Kong that thousands of Mui-tsai remain un- registered, and it is one of these facts which it is almost impossible to prove, but which is obvious to anyone who makes even superficial observation.
And now to pass to the constructive side of the resolution. From what I have said I trust it will be agreed that it is essential that all future sales of girls, for whatever purpose, should be prohibited.
Some of those here to-day may not know that it is still legal to-day to buy and sell a girl in this British Colony of Hong Kong under certain conditions. Here is the law as supplied to me in a letter from the Colonial Office :-
45A.-"Every person who takes any part, or attempts to take any part in any transaction the object or one of the objects of which is to transfer or confer, wholly or partly, the possession. custody or control of any minor under the age of eighteen years for any valuable consideration shall be deemed to be guilty of an offence against this section, unless such person proves beyond reasonable doubt that the transaction was bona fide and solely for the purpose of a proposed marriage, or adoption, in accordance with Chinese custom.'
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Now Colonial Office officials themselves have stated that there are no bonâ fide adoptions of Chinese girls, and yet this law remains. Listen to what one of them has actually said:-"Amongst Chinese, adoption of boys is a recognised and widely practised custom, due to the necessity of always having a son to carry on the male line for the purpose of ancestor worship. But for this purpose daughters are useless and the adoption of daughters is not a custom recognised in China.
Again he says:-"Under such conditions, the use of the term "adopted daughter" is one of convenience, not of fact."
And so a girl is sold legally as an "adopted daughter" and of course becomes in fact a Mui-tsai.
No registration is required for this transaction. It is true that if called upon the owner is required to prove that she is treated as an adopted daughter and not as a Mui-tsai, but these unfortunate girls are seldom, if ever, heard of useless a parti- cularly objectionable case comes into Court,
From this I feel it will be readily seen how essential it is that not only should any further sales be prohibited, but also that all girls hitherto purchased, under whatever name, should be registered forthwith. Until is done the abolition of the whole system cannot possibly be carried out. And to do this there must be adequate inspection.
In 1929 the Government of Hong Kong made this very important announce- ment when they were opposing the introduction of registration:"An army of In- spectors would be required with the widest power of entry and search".
Almost immediately after registration took place we were told, and are being repeatedly told in parliament and by the Hong Kong Government, that three in- spectors (the number ultimately appointed) are in every way adequate and the interests of the Mui-tsai fully preserved!