HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1930.
CHILDREN OR ANIMALS FIRST?
A PLEA FOR THE MUI-TSAI.
REVIEW OF LAST YEAR'S WORK FOR ACHIEVING
REFORMS.
Reference was made on Saturday, at the annual meeting of the Anti-Mul-Tani Society, to the fact that the S.P.C.A. in much more active in the Colony than a similar organisation for the protection of children. Below will be found speeches reviewing the work done during the past year in connection with the mui-tadi problem. CHAIRMAN'S SPEECH.
In addressing the gathering the -Chairman, Mr. 9. C. Yeung, said :-
"Ladies and Gentlemen: Before praeceding with the election of ofetals for the coming year and presenting to you the general re port of the past year, it gives no the greatest pleasure to witness the big gathering of members and sup porters to day. Your interest and enthalam are encouraging to my fellow-workers and to me. Thanks to all co-workers I have been ablo to continue with this uphill fight for the sake of humanity, acting as Chairman of this Society for all these years. Despite my inefficiency the keen interest Laken by the many! supporters of this Society towards the welfare of the mus tai in Hong Kong have made possible the re- gistration of these girls, the bene ficial results of which affords great satisfaction to all lovers of humanity.
Tribute to Mr. 3. D. Bush,
I would like to take this oppor- tunity of mentioning the valued nasiatanee which I have secured from nur English Secretary, Mr. J. D. Bush, whom constant advice and untiring effort to do social service have been to me a lasting memory and great help. I think all mem- bers to-day agree with me that with- out the unremitting efforts of Mr. Bush the accomplishment of regis tration for mui trai in Hong Kong would not have been possible.
Mr.
Chinero Secretary's Activity.
"Our Chinese Secretary, Wong Sha Tin, has shown deep interest in this work to serve the less fortunate section of the com munity, and despite his short con- nection with this Society
ho
is able to-day to prosent the records of the past year in remarkable manner. On a happy occasion like this I cannot but ro call
some of the past achievemente
of this Society, which was first in- augurated under the able direction of Mr. J. M. Wong on August 8, 1921. The foresight of Mr. Wong is, therefore, to a large extent
tho responsible for
Bubsequent achievement of this Society.
Mr. Anderson's Long Record,
"To those days of pioneering difficulties and undisguised oppori- tion of our aims the Society was fortunate in having as its English Secretary Mr. C. G. Anderson, who served us in this capacity for seven years. His resignation on the the eve of the Government giving sand- - tion to the registration of mui teai is greatly to be regretted, but his work will always be held in grate
ful remembrance, Ex-Secretary's Continued Interest, "Another loss to us is the resigna- tion from the Chinose Bearetary. ship of Mr. Ngan Kwan Yu, who co-operated so closely in those seven long years with Mr. Anderson. The former Chinese Searetary is known for his sound judgement and great enthusiasm. His koonness to serve this Society is amply demon strated by his recent consent to compile a book recording the past activities of this Society. We all to have in Mr. Ngan a willing agree that this is a happy choice
worker and a scholarly man for such a book.
This Society also wishes to report PARSEE BUILDING,
to you, in a spirit of gratitudo, that considerable success has attendi el the efforts to get in closer touch with the Social Service Burean in Canton. The ready response to our appeal for enforcement of mai-trai regulations in Canton is deeply apppreciated. Similar relationship with the Government in Macse it hoped to be aohieved in the im mediate future. Returning to our work in Hong Kong again. Re lations with the S.C.A. are excel·
CEREMONY OF LAYING FOUNDATION STONE.
'WORLD' CYCLISTS AMONG
THE GATHERING."
The foundation stone of the Zoroastrian Building at Leighton
iunt, and most cordial co-operation has been established between us. This arises mainly from the fact Hill Rand was laid on Friday by that the officers in charge havo exer: Mrs. D, K. Kharas, wife of the cised tho utmost patience, and President of the Parses Charity adapted the most tulerant and tact-
before them.
and, the
ful atitude towards coses brought | Fund Association, in the presence of a large gathering. Mr. J. Davar, 'n Parsed gentleman, and Mr. Gus- tav Srtavajanik, a German, who aru together touring the world on push bicycles, were among those present.
·At the conclusion of the ceremony, thanked Mrs. Kharas and presented the Secretary (Mr., F. K. Modi)
her with a silver travel and a basket of flowers in remembrance of the occasion,
success we hope that all enthusiastic The hardest task before us, there
Of course, the Society's greatest supporters of this great cause will fore, is to educate and awaken the desideratum is that a right modn continue their unselfish work to public conscienco to the wrongą diagensinnte helpful information done to mui-tiai, and it is hoped operandi may be found in dealing and
with casea concerning misunderstanding that the word will be soon dropped adopted daughters remove
the clusiv Among our people. We look for out of the Chinese vocabulary com-anonymous communications report ward with confidence towards the pletely. This is my third reason. restoration of freedom to the four for telling you that our work for
ing cases, of ill-treatment of mi- thousand registered mui taai, to emancipating the mei-trai is still quiries made by the S.C.A. into tai. More often than not, on put them to an equal footing with complete. thair sisters and to make this fore- most free-port in the Far East also a port of freedom for mui taai.
CHINESE SECRETARY'S
SPEECH.
The following is the speech of the Chinese Secretary, Dr. Wong Si Tin
1020:-
Complaints made to this Society by mui-tsui per- sonally Complaints made by cor
respondence
43
13
56
ENGLISH SECRETARY'S
ADDRESS.
The following is the speech of the hon. English Secretary, Mr. J. D.
Bush:-
Refreshments were sorved to the gathering, and before they dispersed, the President said that he had been
many of whom were present, to give requested by the Parseo admirers,
on their behalf a souvenir and cheque to Mr. Davar and also a
these cases, however, reliable our informants may be, have proved to be fruitless. How grently needed are the services of absolutely train ed men whoso intincta must be for the good of the children. Without this qualification it is impossible to expect the general public to take an interest in child-welfare and to to it for redressing the wrongs of use this Society by reporting cases children or to stay the cruel bands raised against the helpless and in articulato mui-tsai.
Thero is no denying that those | souvenir to Mr. Gustav Szłavajanik cases are complex and therefore re- quire skilful handling. Time and on the occasion of their visit to the again, is so far as regards these Colony. cases, the B.C.A. have boch led to Mr. Kharas continued that the raiso the question: Why don't two gentlemen have been travelling these anonymous informants report direct is this Office? They would by cyclo on their world tour for if they could, but in general, people the last five years, an adventure laying the information of cruelty involving great endurance, risk and' in a certain noighbourhood do not various vicissitudes in the course of their tour. On behalf of those for whom he was speaking, he wished them a successful termination of the tour, which he understood would take another six months to com. plete.
work of this Society, there is Looking back on the records of legitimate cause for satisfaction Once again we are gathered here at what has been accomplished dur- to tell you of the accomplishmenta ing the year under review. Regis during the year just past. It is tration is now an accomplished pleasing to be able to any we have fact, with 4,900 mui-trai netually succeeded in having registration registered and the Courts in the guforerd, which no doubt helps to Colony are active in enforcing the improve the lot of the muita in law and bringing to justice any the Colony to considerable extent.grass acts of extreme brutality. On The following constitutes the total the whole, these neglected children number of mu-ti cases dealt with are placed under more effective pro- through this Society since October tection of the Female Domestio Ordinance. Anyone following closely the reports in the local English and Chineso Press could not but take wish their names to be discloserl. note of the punishment meted out There is a shrinking four-human to the stubborn cases of cruelty and nature is the same all the world flagrant breaches of the law in non-ovor on the part of many people registration and in buying and against giving their name and ad- selling mui-sai. The two outstand dress, so as not to run the risk ing cases which deserve more than of being called upon to appear in
were :-One as fined $500 for buying and selling,
passing notice
was the police-court to give evidence.
Let me have the pleasure of bring and the other met the stern penaltying to your notice a book from the of six months' imprisonment for pen of Limut. Commander and Mra. treating a child of six in a brutal H. L. Haslewood on the mui-temi fashion. The melancholy condition question in Hong Kong. I coun of the child really horrified every mend it highly to those of you who one, in Court at the time. Our desire to have a complete record of Chinese Secretary has dealt in this most complex and perplexing detail with the number of cases re- issue. As it is announced in the ported to the Society during the preface of the book that "authors' past twelve months, and it is an profits will be devoted to the cause necessary for me to dwell on that of the mui-tani," I would like to point further,
see many of you here take a copy each. The book is "obtainable at
12
These cases were disposed follows:-
Mui-tani act free by their
owners during the regis tration period Mui-tani liberated by order of the Court 0 out of this number, girla have been restored to their relatives 14 and the remainder, not bav- ing any relatives, were en- trusted to the custody of the Po Leung Kock -Cases favourably decided by Court, but mi-ai still in temporary custody of their owners........ J-tani rotunted to her re- latives after registration Owners fined or imprisoned
for ill-treatment after re gistration Owner fined by Court for
cruelty, before registra tivn
Casca reported to the S.C.A.
and discharged because of insufficient evidence
Cases, action being taken... Cases, atill being investigat
ed
0
1
.
2
i
8
4
56
4,000. **Missing." notoul with satisfaction the active From the foregoing it will be
interest takou in the mutai. But this is only a first step, and thore
become
Pleasures and Ferplexities.
1 will, however, supplement the reimarks of the two previous speak- ers by acquainting you with other gratifying results and other per- plexities still confronting tho Bociety. There yet remains much to be accomplished. The public in the Colony und in Canton have to be educated and inspired onew to realize the social ignorance, the callous indifference and apathy to- wards child-wolfare. "When we lose fooling for a child's sorrow we must blush crimson in deopest shame." I may add, in passing there is sadness in the reflection that the S.P.C.A. in the Colony can be more active than the S.P.C.0.c. If protection to animals can stimu- late so much interest and ardour in in our purview the needs of a child our midat, aurely we can include
|
Messrs, Kelly & Walsh, Ltd. Hong Kong from the legal point of The position of the muitas in view, therefore, is now:-
(1) No further muitsni are to be taken into employment in the * Colony,
(8) No mui-tens unless previously registered in the Colony is to
brought into the Colony. (3) Employers. have no authority to keep a mui-tear if she wishes to learo.
(4) Existing mui-trai have all
registered:
(5) Existing mui-tsai are to be
paid wages.
Lest the general public still have a hazy idea of the present position of the mui-trai, I quote the above I wish to recommend to you. five essentials from the book that We look forward with heightened This loads me to further consi- interest to the day when there shall
a well
The souvenirs wore thon presouted to the cyclists, who expressed their thanks for the tokens as well as the good wishes accompanying thom.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
Monday, October 20:-His Excel-- lency, the Governor presided at a meeting of the Legislative Council.
His Excellency, attended by Mr., G. W. A. Tufton, Private Secre tary, dined with His Excellency Major-General J. W. Sandilands.
Lady Peel gave a amált dinner party at Government House,
Tuesday, October 21:-Captain A. H. Coltman, representing His Excellency, laid wreaths on the Cenotaph and on the Naval Mem orial at Wanchai, in honour of the Battle of Trafalgar.
His Excellency and Lady Peel, attended by Mr. G. W. A. Tufton, Private Secretary, took tea with the President and Members of the Hong Kong Daiversity Union.
His Excellency and Lady Poel and a small party, attended by Mr. G. W. A. Tufton, Private Secretary, were prescut at the Navy League Concert at the Lee Theatro,
Wednesday, October 22:-Hi Excellency and Lady Feel eater tained the following guests at din- ner at Government House-The Hon. Mr. and Mrs. J. Owen Hughes the Hon. Mr. Wolfe, Sir Erbest and Lady Thompson, the Dean and Mrs.
Lt. Col. Maclaine, Swann, Major Dowbiggin, Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, Mr. Collisson, Mr. and Goldsmith, Dr. and Mrs. Binsk, Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Parker, Mr. and Mrs, Shields, Mr. and Mrs. G. K. Bourne.
PROBATE ORDINANCE.
is yet much to be done to reach the duration of the Child-Welfare So-be, an absolute co-ordination of Why? Because, according to our heartily glad of its goal of complete emancipation. viety of Hong Kong. We are offert between the B.C.A., the Child
coming Welfare Society, and all those who original estimate, the number of into existence during the past year. are concerned in the work for the Rutant in the Colony were about Bat we like to see it live up more
prevention of cruelty to children. 5,000 or more, out of which only to the ideal of being the Champion The mui-teai constitute a prepon- 4,200 hare registered. What hna of the Child which it sets out to derant part of the child welfare of the remainder! We achieve. Instead of having just one problem in the Colony. This 60- know that the more kindly owners young lady fulfilling the duty of ciety has not done its duty until that knowledge is possessed by all have set free a goodly number an Inspector, there should be at
Thursday, October 23:-Mr. T possibly before the enforcement of least a dozen or more officers (mon that it is not a charity, but an
V. Soong, Finance Minister to the and women), selected and trained agent for justice, seeking the wel Nationalist Government, paid an registration, yot there must be a huge number being sent away sur- because of their special aptitude for fare of a certain section of un informal call on His Excellency. have purposely ignored registra also, there should be more men who allude with these words from ency and A. Tufton, Private reptitiously elsewhere, while others the posts they have to fill. Then, happy and down-trodden chlidren, Friday, October His Excel. Lady Peel, attended by tion. It is the fate of the unregis.are thoroughly interested in cham- I conclude tored about which we are most pioning the cause of overy child, a notable champion of the child in Secretary, were present at a ball Foreign Supporters.
anxious. This explains what I regardless of muitas or any sort England No credit is taken for given by Rear-Admiral R. A. S.
mean when I say that our work is of neglected child, who suffers. all this. It is as should be. The Hill on board R.M. "Tamar." "The unwearying support to incomplete.
Wo want genuine and enthusiastic sloven thousand lady collectors and wards this Society coming from
supporters of child welfare work in the hundred thousand contributors lency and Lady Peel, attended by Sunday, October 26: His Excel- Year and Ignorance. Lieut. Commander and Mrs. H. L
the Colony. So far as there is a are moved by a deep lave for child. G.. W. A. Tulton, Private Haslewood, the Anti-Blavery and Hitherto our propaganda work difference between the work of the ron in suffering and need. It is Secretary, attended the Hospital Aborigines Protection Society, the has been directed mainly against Child Welfare Society and our due to them, as well as to the little Young Women's Christian Associa- the brutal owners of mui-tsai. Society at all, it is a difference in sufferers in whose interests they join Sunday service at the Cathedral. tion of Great Britain, Lady Simon, Nothing has been done to help the thoroughness, although we both hands, that the application of com and members of the House of Commui-fear themselves to understand have the aame aims and object in monsense and practical methods mous is largely responsible for their own legal position after review. I offer these remarks in the should lead to use, to the best ad- bringing the unbelievable cruelty gistration. Many of these girls spirit of friendly criticism, with vantage, of every penny given to If the mui taui system to the atten- are so cowed by their owners that out the least intention of being the Society.” tion of the British Government at they have been left in total ignor flippant and cynical. Home, which resulted in the latter's ance of the primary purpose of re- final order for its aholition.
gietration and therefore dare not go I would like to thank the to the 8.0.A. to. rogister. Then, This Society has noted with moro Christian: Church Union, and the also, there must be scores and scores than ordinary feelings of satisfac- various educational institutions and of mui-tsai, who though registered, tion that the Balvation Army individuals for their financial, as- are still groaning under the brutal Women's Industrial Home, on sistance and the circulation. of hands of their mistress, Bome Prince Edward Rond, Kowloon, has
The object of this Ordinance is leaflets and literature on our cam-thing must be done, to help theso come into existence since we met
to give effect to an arrangement paign against the mui tai system poor girls-out-of their fear and here last year. There are at pro..
which has been arrived at between All these efforts are directly reapon- | ignorange," This is the socond sent thirteen girls in this Institu
It is notified in the Gazette that United States Government relating Hi, Majesty's Government and the sible for the bringing the oilious reason for saying that our work is tion. The Hong Kong Government
on and after January 1, 1931, the to the manner in which the provi- system to the notice of the British incomplete.
le contributing $200 monthly to- Government, resulting in tho As a Chinese proverb has it: wards its support and maintenance. annual foos payable at the under
sions of. Article 3 of the Roal and Colonial Secretary and the HongTo conquer a city is not mightier For all this our hearts are glad.ontioned schools will be at the Personal Property Convention of
following rated:- Kong Government signifying their than to captivate the heart of the It is hoped that there will be con
Washington of March 2, 1800, which approval of the suggested registra people" (a similar expression in tributions forthcoming from other Queen's College Class I has been applied to this Colony, tion of all mui trai in the British English is " Opinion in queew of quarters to keep up and expand the to, III
........ 8120 | may be carried out. Colony.
the world, whilst foreo is only its good work of this Home The King's -- College-Classes I Freedom For Individuals As Well tyrant'). This remark applies for glistening tear in a neglected to III
cibly to the present owners of mur child's eye" has called this, and "Central British School - As Trade.
tsai, who must be made to realise Four-own Bociety, into existance. It Belilios. Public School Chu tutorings of the slaves in their is the pressure of his duty cha TOYANGLIKE MINNIE SENGON sule in the Rubition of the mut the halk The Chidreenbont un tal worch or the Chitaren't dinin, viten Veronduirudie" mehbbi, system and realisation of the great is, after all, only partially effec makes the appeal, all the more Normal Behoo!. aim of this. Society. Despite this live.
Furgobt
Gap Road School
Registration will undoubtedly re-
Balvation Army Work.
FEES IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
CHANGES EFFECTIVE NEXT YEAR.
NEW ARRANGEMENT WITH AMERICA.
The Gazette contains the draft of An Ordinanco to amend the Pro- bates Ordinance, 1897.
Under the arrangement stops 120 bave to be taken to ensure official 00 notification of the death of evory 48 United States citizen in this 46 Koloix to the model Car
Omeer rogardices, or whether”, SUCH 24 citizen lenyos heirs or executors 38 the Colony,
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