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(4.).
kinese-authorities-and reakande oud fami- a-lam-punishing
The Government of Hongkong has much difficulty in dealing with questions of this nature, in consequence of the importance attached by the English people to the rights and privileges of personal liberty; and, although this personal liberty may, in some cases, such as the present, seem to entail undesirable consequences, yet His Excellency is sure that you who have so many proofs of the advantages which it confers on all residents in this Colony, will not desire that it should be unnecessarily curtailed. It should be further remarked that the Colonial Government of Hongkong has no power to enact laws repugnant to the laws of England; and that all persons who choose to take up their residence on English territory, while they are entitled to the protection of the English laws, are bound to obey those laws.
His Excellency is of opinion that under all the circumstances of the case, persuasion is the only weapon that can legally be employed. The Registrar-General has instructions to give every assistance in his power towards inducing runaway Chinese wives to return to their husbands in China. Recently, he has had two such cases to deal with; and the circumstances connected with them will show the difficulties with which they are surrounded.
In one case, a young woman left her husband in Faumati. On complaint being made by the husband, the woman, her mother, and the "go-between" were sent for to the Registrar-General's Office. Every effort was made to induce the woman to return, but she remained obstinate. The services of the Po Leung-kuk were then asked for, and promptly accorded. After some time, the woman seemed to consent to return, but, on coming before the Registrar-General again, she solemnly averred that, if ordered to go back to her husband, she would commit suicide. There was no help for it but to allow her to go away with her mother.
In the other case, the woman had by false representations obtained admission to a registered brothel. When confronted with her mother, her husband, and her uncle, she stoutly denied having ever seen them. In this case, also, the Po Leung-kuk were good enough to render assistance, but all efforts were fruitless. Finally, the woman's name was removed from the register, and she was informed that on no account would it be restored. She left next morning for Canton, but stated that nothing would induce her to return to her relatives. She, too, threatened to commit suicide if ordered to go back to her husband.
It may be said, generally, that the patriarchal system of China, by which almost absolute power is given to fathers and husbands, is not recognised by English law. The Executive Government cannot arrest fugitive wives as such, and all questions of divorce and restoration of conjugal rights must be settled by the courts of law.
Hawkers' stalls. × The Chinese Society for the protection of women and children.I have nothing to add to my remarks on this matter to the Deputation, and to my comments on it in my previous despatches No 360, 83, and 87 of 1883.
(5.) Landlords and Rent
It will be seen that the existing law already gives Chinese and all other Landlords the summary remedy for recovering rents due from defaulting tenants, for which the Deputation (which was chiefly composed of owners of house property), applied
(6) Law of Bankruptcy
The views of the Deputation on this subject have been anticipated by my Government