families established wi other commercial than in avy port, a result wi a high degree due to the liberal administration which has allerved the chinese to walk in the of their customs. Though way the present Dynasty has introduced regard of practice and of dress into the cherished customs alterations in احمد of the Chinese, the distinchon between Chinese and Manchu marriage rites has been maintained in accordance with the wishes of the people. The pioneers of Hong Kong who were well acquauited with this fact proclaimed in the clearest manner that Chinese would be allowed to follow their own کاری eagerly set custom; as rresult all out for place where there was the pleasure of trading in peace, and where, within a little over 50 years, more than 200,000 people have congregated ated as it were on nahie soil. soil.
Contrary to expectation, law has lately been. 196 a newN passed called the Women and Girl's Protection Ordinance, of which the 6th section says that, whilst no investigation will follow in the case of girls 12 and under 16 over years of age who are married according to proper marriage rites, yet if any have connexion with such girl without such rites having been performed, he shall be deemed to have broken the law, and be liable to the penalty set forth in the 12th section. What originally gave rise to this law was a fear that young girls men or would be seduced by evil m be driven by their purse mothers to earn money by prostitution.
The fixing of the age at 16 accor. according English calculation was an excellent idea in itself, the mention. however of Chinese marriages introduced