instances, home emanating to a very great extent.
Many
any kind of knowledge
Being
in the course
of my some residence here, I am of opinion that the local Government ought to establish regulations which may prevent, if not to put a stop to, the evil and that such would be most desirable if effected. The brothels are kept almost exclusively by Chinese.
They regard the immorality of keeping or inviting brothels, therefore, in dealing with these establishments here, which unhappily are very numerous, we need be less scrupulous as to the inquisitorial nature of our proceedings, regulation, than we should necessarily be in England.
Of the general tenor of the Draft Ordinance now before me I approve.
But it appears to me that Section II awards too severe a penalty on the offender, if a female, because the unfortunate prostitutes here are in the position of slaves, having mostly, if not all, been bought by their indigent parents at a tender age, for the ulterior purpose of prostitution for the benefit of their purchasers, who have taught them to consider themselves as such. Therefore as the prostitute would not have the means of paying the specified pecuniary penalty, imprisonment for an indefinite term could be her doom, should the brothel keeper, against whom the punishment might...
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