part mud
parcel of Chinese social life. The Chinese, however, understand quite well the difference between a bona fide family transaction of that kind and a merely fraudulent purchase for very different purposes and they will enable the transaction to be rightly classified much more readily than Europeans.
It is, therefore, most encouraging to see the Chinese themselves, in Hong Kong, coming forward to assist in putting down the evil with which they can much more readily grapple successfully than any other people. The timid Chinese girls have usually been previously told what to say in case a policeman should ask inconvenient questions and it is only when spoken to kindly by gentle means that they place confidence that the truth comes out and the tale of fraud is unfolded. Then, and not till then, is there any likelihood of sufficient evidence being forthcoming to enable a prosecution under the Ordinance 11 of 1890 to be successfully undertaken.
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Without careful preliminary sifting of the evidence the contradictions brought out by some lawyer for the defence are likely to lead to doubt and subsequent acquittals. Moreover, unless the girls are protected, they are cared for and are too often likely to be "got at" by friends of the accused before their evidence is given, especially if the case is sent for trial. This explains the provisions of Section 20 of the Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance.
(Signed) H. M. Goodman
Attorney General