Page
́FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1923
THE CHINA MAIL.
The second reading of the Bill was then Carrind
MUI TSAI BILI,
by the smooth working of the laws recognise that there is much, to be dividual plauses of the Bill so they governing the registration of births said for the arguments adduced by arise. It is proposed and ascended (Continued from page 4.)-
and deaths, schools, companies, both sides,, we have felt it our: that the Bill be ron I a second time,, and medical practitioners Pila is bounden duty to staks, as I have. (7) The abolition of miteai would arguing on totally wrong Beebises, done, the conclusions wo live A little thought will convitice any arrived at, without fear or favour. not do away with kidnapping ngartial person that it is one thing It remains for us to signify our of children, but, on the conto have, for instance; a birth or a sport to the amendments which trury, would increase the sale? of girls to evil-disposed persons school registered, and quite another will be moved in committee by the
so daughters Theo girls to have to report every intended Honourable Senior Unoficial-Mom- are brought up as "digtoroval of amui-tsai from the bet. without being required to do Colony, even temporarily, and
gistration, would mean
CHANGE SHOULD DE GRADUAL.
!
oeriniz
IN COMMITTEE,
never, in Hongkong, conferred any rights whatever on the purchaser. must confona I am rather surprised to hear the hon. member question the correctness of the preamble and suggest that it is not au erroneous, supposition at all and that payment docs confer rights. We are opeaking, Br, in this claneo of Englich law, Hongkong law and whatever the rights may be id Chins they do not concern no. It is undoubtedly an erroneous supposition that payment of money for a child confere, or has over conferred any rights on the purchaser, and I think The Bon. Mr. Pollock-I beg to it is important to keep the preamble move an amendment in Clause 2 to in this clanse to make that point make it direct and to rub fellows quite clear.
The Attorney-General moved that the Coanoil go into Committed to con- sider the Bill clauses by clause. The Colonial Secretary seconded and this was agreed th
The Council accordingly, went into smmittee.
1
"It is hereby dolared and H. E. the Governor-I think the enacted that no payment of money boa, member's objection will be quite to the parents, or the guardians, or in order if we cut out the word the employer of a female obild, such erroneously" which means nothing payment purporting to be in return very important from my point of for the transfer of the child confera view, but seems to mean a great dea!| upon any person suy night of pro- from the hon. member's point of perty in the child, or the right to view. There is no question I think retain possesion or custody or con- that certiin persons have made this trol of the child either as against roneous supposition. the child's parent, guardian, or em ployer, or as against the child her- All."
I
With
NOTICES.
BILLIARDS.
THE
FAMOUS "PEALL" CUE
$12.50
ÉBONY BUTTED QUES
...$7,50
ROSEWOOD
...$6.50
PLAIN ASH
...$8,00
BONZOLINE BALLS
CHALK TIPS WAFERS SKITTLES RESTS. SPORTS DEPT.
LANE, CRAWFURD LTD.
THE MUSIC
OF
THREE O'CLOCK
IN THE MORNING": THE SENSATIONAL DANCE HIT
ANDERSON'S
Tel. Central 1329.
NEW BHOP
(Opposite Wiseman's).
BRUNSWICK DANCE RECORDS
PLAYED BY THE LEADING NEW YORK ORCHESTRAS
"PRESENT "BEST SELLER": THREE O'CLOCK IN
domestic work; some with such every change of address of the muE. THE GOVERNOR. tender care that their hands or of the employer. Further, are not exposed to hard fabour according to the Bill, the employer,
whatever his station in life, ha to HE. The Governor Gentlemen in order not to coarsen them!take out an identification ticket, an Before we pass on to the text stag: The object is obvious. (8) If the Bill is passed, the if(tone the words of a Chiness of the Bill I desire to make a few Government will be her with Kentleman) he were a discharged general remarks on the subject. I the stupendous task of finding convict who has periodically to re- should like, in the first place, to make accommodation or employment port himself to the police! More, it perfectly clear that I dissociate for the large number of mui-ver, registration in this case, myself entirely from the venomous to be effective, would necessitate attacks which have been made on the tsai who may seek acipa domiciliary visits, which would open whols Chinese population of this tion, or whose employers aya door to all sorts of abusea, such as Colony by ignorant persots at Home voluntary surrender them, to
bribery, thieves masquerading as who seem to assume that because a the Governijent. · the detectives to gain admission into Government does not take houses and interforence with the stem is liable to abuse it is there charge of all these girls, they privacy of the home-a thing re
fore essentially bad. At the same must perforce make their en-pugnant to all freemen. Registra-my-I think it must be admitted ployers contine to keep them.tion of mui-tai will not prevent that there is, from the Western point Thus, whatever may be the their altreatment any more of view, a strong case against the
HON MIL HOLYÓAK. SA change in the name of the mufthan registration of ... shop- | maintenance of a system which, to
The Hon. Mr. Holyoak: Is it not tsui, they can have no change fakis will prevent, thefts and the unsubtle Western mind, ia ver
very important that we should at this in their position, and it may bezzlements. "Rother than have dificult to distinguish from lavery
Ia support of this amendmat eir, juncture protest in the most vigorous further be said that they are this registration law imposed on owing to the passing of money an
walay that it seems to me a far and comprehensive terme against the kept in such a position with them, the employers, of mui-teai the acquisition of murvices which armote diret and definite statement of emneous charges levelled against os the approval, or even thewould sooner give them up at once. subaquently onpaid. Thenrgument what you moan to effect than the in the prees of England greatly ex authority of the Government.
vither to the Government or to such which ave been brought forwar present deelorations Claus 2, which aggerated and largely untras charges (9) To enforce the provisions of stitutions as the Government with gard to the general content
eins in a roundabout sort of way. I found, as no doubt you did, Sir the Bill, particularly that part would name.
This would mean.)
punuan have who at Home in the past few relating to inspection and at the Clovernment use to providement of the moi taat and thé ganera Whereas certaizi
connusly supposed "ste. Your Ex math, costant excellenós of the system, may vary the accommodation and find employ
saferences to employment of a large ariny of tht for the mui-tsai, of who likely be erfectly correct. I havelaney basutati tinthecrisis per.ongkong slavery" and even to an inspectors and detectives for there are about ten thousand in the very little doubt that. many of the sons cannot possibly refer in the 200 open slave market-statements alich domiciliary visits, and for in Colony. As a correspondent to the statements are; I bave very lit!0,000 to 100 000,000 people living were as preposterous in conception as spection work upon the arrival Chinese General Chamber of Co doubt that ninety per cent of the in China, but they must be restricted they were untrus in fact. It is due and departure of all-the train merce has said, there are unfortun: statements sin correct.
But if any to the G00,000 Chinens in this Colony to the Culogy and the good Geresn and seen which bring in ately very few foundling houses in hoo, member will take the trouble t
But, Sir I would boy leave to point ant of the Colony that these bare ut, with deference, that this is not so, instations and positive misrepre and take on thousands of Hongkong or in China, and so the read up the literature of the carly pár ple every day. This would be present honics of the muni-sai con- of the nineteenth century he will Tad because the number of mai trai who sentations of the truth a onld be con costly to the Government, and Hitute a sort of foundling houses in numerous pamphlets of West Indies have found their way to Hongkong teed in the most vigorous farm. vexations to the people, far them, otherwise.n largo nun- Societies precisely the sameargume como from outside, within Therefore I wholly agree with your Those, Sir, are the views of thoseer of them would have been raproduced in altaust exactly the same the vast Empire of Clins itself Excellency that the term "erromanas" who ask for the withdrawal of the drowned by their parents or starved word; as to the sore ateurrence of thich is subject, as we know. to whether it is employed in the Bill or Bill. There ist besides, another to death. section of the Chinese Community
cosm of ill-treatment amengst pegr
uch very severe spd distressing not does convey the conviction of this conomic conditions, with famics Council with regard to public opinion who, while adyuenting the ultimate Hongkong is so bound up with slaves. There arguments wori pot abolition of the mul-teal system, anton, geographically and econ- allowed to stand in the way of the lot in very large areas. at Home which has been fatered apon consider that the time is not yet,nically, that to stop the employ abolition of the system of slavery and Sir to your observation about grese misrepresentations of the trath.
no desirability of the prment system. ax in any case strongly deprecatement of qui-ai after the Bill in the British Colonies, and. I fe
I E. the Governor: The "errone registration.
becomes law as prescribed by clause that-it-is-imposible-to-allon Laust confess I bas found it very our supposera the Chinese who Now, I have given, to the best would be impracticable anlese arguments of the enne kind to atan.
fficult to apply that observation to paki money for mui taai. of my ability, the arguments patina acts likewise. I am of the in the way of the abolition sin system the remarks which have been made by The Attorney General And the forward by the various parties, fortable opinion that no real in of keeping mui tai in Hongkong myself or by my Chiness colleagu: o. Europeana who imagined that the sale and against the measure." Theprovement of any time-honoured The hon. moniber who spoke ad farth madre, Sir, I must have ex of human beings was recogined hers English Secretary of the Andi-Mui-ocial custom can be effected by on bobalf of all the unofficia pred usteli very indifferently if by English laws: they made the same tsai Society has also sent me adden and violent change. The members commented on the reference
you have not apprehended, the fact erroneone supposition and they have. letter giving a gist of the views oluni-tsai system has beeli in exist to "certain
"who bae that my whole contention is that called upon us to change the law persons hia Executive Committee on the ants for thousands of years having erroneously
Clause 2 of this Bill ablutely when, as a matter of fact, there is no Bili, which I have handed to the grown up under the economic col things, in Clause 2 of the Bill and be shatters the mui tsai system as it need to change the law because the
supposed" Honourable the learned Attorney-aitions of life. The wide publicity suggested that hoea "certain persons" hitherto existed; that it bringe it to law has never recognised any rights General for his considemtion. that has recently been given to the who had made erroneous suppusition an end completely; that it does away whatever. am, however, asked to say heremuestion should help materially toe all the 300 or 400 million in with aty possibility of its being re- that what they recommend con-bring about the attainment of this habitants of China. It seems to rented either as a servila condition afraid members of Parliament do not The Hon. Mr Pollock: I am stitutes the irreducible minimum.ubject. The best method to this In effect, they support the Bill, and would seem to be a gradual and that it may conceivably be the case-ss--pro-ri-ter condition. And
recognise themselves—88, 1
my friend witli certain proposed eminents careful education of public opinion, that theen three or four hundred mit
does-as certain persons." which. they consider, shoshil The Anti-Muitsui Society anions as an erroneous impression. A
H. E. the Governor I confess I strengthen it. My Chinese Col the Protection Society call assist we have heard here to day, the system
did not either. Waat the Hon. Mbiy league and I have also received in the carrying out of the present was declared to be anlasial in the
Hoyosk has said makes me think it from the Chinese Labour Unions. Bill by having all mui-tai inform Manchu Dynasty and antequently
wite to retain the words "errom ouÀ”. the Chinese Y,M.C.A. and of their status vs dochured in in the time of the first Republic, and
and I think it must remova the Y.W.C.A., the Chinese Christian clause 2; and of their right to re- I am not quite clear that they had
objections of the Hon. Mr. Pollock. Union, and the Chinese General port at once to the Government in good grounds for their belief hat 1
fas existed hitherto is satisfactory. There is no gasstion that the opinions Chamber of Commerce written re- are they are ill-treated; and also should like to make a string puio thought it were satisfactory I should members of Parliament and others presentations which we have like, by advising employers to treat their that we are not legislating of the 400 pose this Bill in telo I do not do at Hume to when be referred were wise turned over to the Governantai_well, otherwise iligy would millions of Chios, but for the 600.000 the or,domy.honourable colles,ues"ropea."
be punished severely. It should be add inhabitants of British Colony
War alite that a considembla' part of The Hon. Mr. Pollock, did not presa: remembered, us analogous to This is t matter which must be de this ensure in dreirable in the inter his amendment, sed it was agreed Having divested myself of the matter, that the foot-binding pras cided-with all due regard to Chinese water, and the protectionof mui trai. that clause 2 should stand part of the task imposed upon me by the twice which had beef in existence in sides, of re-stating their opinions hina for nearly two thousand sentiment and purjudica-n the prin. We outainly do Lut contred that this here, I will endeavour to expresars, and which was, as recently ciples of British law and the sentimrature. treating it, as a whole, is the views of my Chines collegues twenty-five years ago. teiicious tents of a Briksh community. either uncrcessary or undesirable. and myself. We fool that where y chung to by the people, was
Your Excellotty bas referred, incid The Hon. Mr. Pollock With there is a divergence of opinion itEventually abolished, not by legal The main point of the Bill is that tally, to certain law which are regard to Clauses 4 and 5 I have to is not enough for a member of this enactments but by gradual presstire the system of keeping mui tea,must stabid to have been passed in Chiss, move an amendment. That Clauses Honourable Council merely to ex- enlightened public opinion, until be abolished: On that point have de Bet I can say. Sir, that from all 14 and be removed into part 3 of the press the viey's, however imparti-we see to-day middle-aged dames finite instructions from the Tecretary horn, these laws are no more carried present Bill As I have streadly ex ally, of the people whom hy repre- and young girls, instead of being of State who aeproicats tints force and are of no more use than pisinad, Sr. in my opening sech, Bente. He should also weigh the carried on the backs of amah, British Government and the are the laws for the approssion of the unofficial members of Council value of the conflicting argumente, merrily tripping about in the streefs British people. There can be no com pom in China, and therefore I think have spent a couiderable amount of endeavour to unravel the web of short skirts and high-holed promis; or that point; the system may treat them as a negative time on this Bill. As regards myselt confusion woven by the diputation, shoes, just like their Western must be abolished, and if the quantity. I think it necesary to say it would be more correct to say that and form his own judgment. In sisters, What has happonéd to expressing our own conclusions unt-binding should happen to the tum is to abolished I can that, because I want to make the I have spent days than hours on this se no reason why you should not any position of the unofficist members of use and the construction thereof. our honest convictions-it would be custoig of keeping muï-teni.
ro. For that reason I think it is this council prefectly dear That And the conclusion the unofficial necessary for me to go over some of ABOLITION IMPRACTICÂBLE..
J has to say on members have come to on this Bal is the grounds already traversed, bu. Let me now recapitulate the cedry-in face repetinto keep all I know I can count upon a patient views of my Chinese cofeng a Claute 4 in the Bill, but I am quite Clause 2 of the Bill. I that these clauses and bare undesir myself, which, I think I can say, prepared to accept any alternative again urge that it is far more em able, annecherary, and unworkable, The Crux of the matter seems to are also the views of my other form of words which will convey the phatic and far more direct to say that but Sz, whether we are right or wrong as to be whether a mini-ikai is a Unofficial colleagues, sanely, that sams impression, But there can be no it is hereby declared and ennoted," in our views we think we have the MARTELL'S BRANDIES. elave or not. If she is, we should to make illegal the engegatent of compromise on this point: that here instead of trying to refer to erroneous right to deman that our views on not tolerate the system for even onani-tsai in lingkung at this juncatter no person can be allowed to suppositions of certain persons with Clouses 4 and should be submitted day longer in this Colony; but this ure would be unpracticable that, have a moi tsai in his employment in reference to the mui tai system. I to the Secretary of State for the point is disposed of by chine 2 ozļas a preventive of ill-treatment of Brilida terzitory." "
do not think, Sif, it is an erroneous Colonies before these clau-es are the Bill. Still, in spite of such amui-teni, persons guilty of gross The matter of registration is, to supposition. I believe the custom of rammed through this Council against definite pronouncement from the cruelty should be sent to prison for my mind, zot of the first Chins it that the payment of money the benimous wishes of the unofficial Government, we cannot get away a long term with hard labour. It poriance. The Secretary of States onfer curtain rights for a period, members by use of the official from the fact that cases of cruelty has been a source of regret to me has expressed his res ines to listen of rearst all-events till the girl volt. Your Bulegoy bas stated Ive from time to time come to that, while the case for stopping to any argumetesagnet the attalus the age of eightees prats, Chainst Clanres and ɓ must be passed light. We therefore consider that the suployment of mani-tau bus imposition of legistration in thene marriageable age." I do not think it as they stand because of the lustra - the mui-tsai need special protection been so ably and widely presented, matters and will to debt, woigh is at all incorect. It is not an tions received from the Becretary of by the Government."
these who are in favour of retaining carefully what uns bem fait by erroneous opppuition; it is a true Stato. It seems to me to be imputing While I abhor cruelty to children the system for the present, with the hon. Ben or Chin ea renter in su pisition. The Chinese custom as an extraordinarily suiocratic tem and consider a fine boweyer heavy certain radical improvements in totally inadequate for offenders, their position, bove, until only deciding what ir siructies to shall understand it, undoubdly is that pemant to that high official to agree with those who bold that the quite fesently, remained almost give with regard to bringing into for the payment of money does. confer suppose that he desires these instruc present Bill would not deter the inarticulate. I say this because what may be called the reserved cortain rights on the person who pays tions to be carried out în madistely small number of people who are with that both sides hod, had an portion of the Bill, that is the part of that money.. I cannot ste say good, real of with the delay of two or by nature cruel, from il-treating equal chance of presenting their the Bill that is coming into force by or any advantage to be got by saying three months only, and I think, Bis, their mui-tsai. For such people respective cases to the Secretary of proclamation. With regard to the thit people roLGouely emppose that such a supposition is extraordin advocate a long term of imprison State. Those in favour of the Bill other minor emendments of thu kop. tlung when underitsed the roatally uncomplimentary to our awa ment with hard labour
have undoubtedly been actuated by member, Mr. Pollock, I think many of tion they do not.
401 peke Secretary for Stats. I cannot imagine, BEGISTRATION-DEPRECATED, generous motives and lofty ideals them may with advantage bo dopt the thing at all.
to Bir that he bat any desire excepting amood to find out what sho ́views of (this) I strongly deprecate, ae do all but I am afraid that their burning ed and should like to say now that lesy, Bir with
care (on this measure, becstasy my Honourable Unofficial colleague, zes has not permitted has to am much obliged to the hen, memberment as
although I cannoy agr
pósa anything else would be to tion of registration study, the problem with that
Khas the intende to turn this
ment.
· CHINESE MEMBERS VIEWK.
bearing.
the introd #Endlo
rouble and impartiality which
..
importance of the subject-demanda. I do not keep, and bave.
· · MEST DE ANULISKID,
conble
:
ith his
the amendments which I should ask Four Excellence to make by and by in Gauge 12 of this Bill will make the point even stronger, pebaps, than it is at present.
HON, MR. POLLOCK.
Id not say that the system as it
the "The Attorney Gen en precintes - the, desi
F
:
V
**THE MAN ON THE SPOT."
talog:
Dav
• THE MORNING, WALTZ.
THE - BRUNSWICK SLUDIO
GYVANOVICH & CO
Distributors
BANK OF CHINA BUILDING (1ST FLOOR DUDDELL STRE
YE OLDE PRINTERIE
LIMITED (SUCCESSORS TO PRINTING DEPT. HONGKONG-PRINTING · PRESS} 19, WYNDHAM STREET.
COMMERCIAL PRINTERS AND "BOOKBINDERS.
PRINTING AND ACCOUNT BOOK MAKING OF
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION DONE WITH ACCURACY AND PROMPTNESS, ALL WORK DONE UNDER THE FERSONAL SUPERVISION
+ OF THE MANAGER- Phone 437.
LABRUM.
KAM HING KNITTING COMPANY,
Manufacturers. He
Boke, Singlets Jerseys, Sweaters, etc.
Telophone Kowloon 577, 24, Haiphong Road, Kowloos.
Manager; WONG KAM FURI.
ONE STAR
TWO STAR
THREE STAR
B. O P
BOTTLED IN COGNAO AND GUARANTEED PUBE
GRAPE BRAND
MARTELL & COMPANY
ANADE
pause unda