THE CHINESE CHURCH, LABOUR AND ELITES AND THE MUI TSAI QUESTION IN THE 1920'S
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Society was asked to address the meeting. He presented a review of the efforts of the Society to induce the Government to abolish the system. In concluding, he congratulated the men for having called the meeting as it showed that labour unions in Hong Kong were interested in questions other than those of strikes and increases of pay.
One of the labour speakers was Miss Wong Wai-chu, a teacher. She, like Mrs. Ma, was interested in the part women had in maintaining the system:
Owing to weakness of the weaker sex, the system had become a permanency. The owner of a mui tsai was usually a pampered woman, one who beat the girl on the slightest provocation. Confucius said, "Do unto others as you would be done by". It was an inadvisable state of affairs to be dependent on others for the performance of any duty which one was capable of performing oneself and this appeared to be a failing of the weaker sex, who used mui tsai for tasks which they could do themselves. If Chinese women wish to raise their status to the same plane as men, they should not allow their children to be employed as mui tsai.
In the end of the meeting a resolution was passed supporting the passage of the Ordinance. A committee was appointed to consider and suggest any amendments to the Bill that might be desirable.14
Passage of the Bill
At the second reading of the Bill on February 8, 1923, The Hon. Mr. Chow Shou-son referred to those in favour of the Bill as having been undoubtedly "actuated by generous motives and lofty ideals, but I am afraid that their burning zeal has not permitted them to study the problem with calmness and impartiality which the importance of the subject demands." He saw no wisdom in haste, "I do not keep, and have never kept, any mui tsai, but this does not blind me to the unwisdom of trying to sweep away in a day the custom with its good points."15
His Excellency the Governor wished to disassociate himself from "the venomous attacks which have been made on the whole Chinese population of the Colony by ignorant persons at home who seem to assume that because a system is liable to abuse it is therefore essentially bad." He informed the Council, however, there was no turning back, "I have definite instructions from the British Government that the