433 Extract from the Hongkong Daily Press of the 11th March, 1920.
GIRL SLAVERY IN HONGKONG HOW TO COMBAT THE EVIL.
REGISTRATION AND VISITATION SUGGESTED.
BETTER WAGES: 1998 SLAVERY.
At the fortnightly meeting of the C.E.M.S., held on Tuesday night at the söguage School, under the presidency of the Rev. V. H. Copley Moyle the im- portant and pressing question of Girl Slavery in Hongkong was fully discussed, The Rev. H. R. Wells, io a lucid and very informing address, discussed slavery as it exists at present in our midst, and suggested the remedying influence of registration and visitation which would enablo the Government to safeguard the slave-giris from ill-treatment. An interesting debate followed and the conclusion the nanimous wish of the meeting
that the Government be informed of the ad visability of registering all cases of child? adoption with a view to the ultimate abolition of girl slavery.
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THE DISCUSSION,
After the paper, reproduced in our pre- vious issue, had been read by Mr. Wells, the CHAIRMAN stated that they were all grateful to Mr. Wella for taking so much trouble in preparing the subject and placing it before them in so lucid a man- ner. He thought that those who were present when is Pitt brought up the Bubject, would agree that Mr. Walls took the same VIGW. M158 Pitt recommended registration of children and that they should be regularly visited. Mr. Wella haa suggested that public opinion should be educated on the subject. He was glad | to say that the Preas were helping them by reporting cases of child cruelty that came up before the courts. He did not know when he came to the Colouy that such conditions existed, and be was in the Colony for many years before be realised it, and that, too, as a result of reading a case where a man sued a womaJ for obtaining money under falas pro- Lences. she sold berelt to the man, although she had a husband, and then disappeared. Mr. Wells had emphasised the fact that the British Empire stood for liberty, and to think that their Empire included tross poor children, even if only a few of them, who were suffering in a terrible way, was sufficient reason for making every endeavour to eradicate the conditions which existed. He read the uther day in the Press a case in which a woman residing at Lyndhurst Terrace was arrested for ill-treating a little girl who had several scars and weals on ber body.
The woman was let out on bail of $100, but she never attended Court. A tresh warrant was inued for ber Krrest The girl, who was in hospital, was afterward looked after by the Po Jaunu Kok. Buch cases were not a credit
to the Colony and they ought to exereise pressure on the Government to do so thing to prevent that crying shame. It was quite possible to deal with the situa tion in an effective manner by taking the steps suggested by Mr. Wells. Those little Chiese slave girls were as God's children as their own children were, much and as Christians, it was their duty to do their best to bring educated public opinion to bear on the subject and press for measures to combat the evil. Of course there was an argument always put forward that such a measure would load to starvation of the children, as parenta could ill-afford to feed them. That was & rotten argument and proved that em. ployers were paying so low wages that the labourers were unable to support the children God gave them. It showed that there were people ready to pile up money to the detriment of the poor, who were thereby unable to look after their own children.
The Rev. C. B. SHAUN stand that, on more than one occasion, when he had had a conversation on the matter, he found that the attitude takon áp by members in the Government service was that it! was a “go-called " alavery. parently deny the fact that slavery exists. They ap- Mr. Wells had succeeded, by some moans or other, in getting hold of a document which proved that slavery did oxist Was there a possibility in Hongkong of getting a definite document to prove that money had been paid over for children!} Mr. Wells replied that the document in his possesion made mention of a per- tain sum of money. When a child wae) purobased, the purchaser had absolute; power over the child. The parenta Jone any right in them and are not allowed to see them. He was certain that the document related to the purchase of a child in Hongkong.
The Rev. G. UPSDELL stated that in ‘a) school in Nanning there was a girl whot had been a slave. He had been informed that in case of interference on the part- of the owner he could report to the Police who would take steps.
A MEMBER said he thought that it) would be difficult to find out when a girl? was a slave and when not. He knew a case of a respectable Chinese who had no children of his own. He purchased a girl and a boy, who were under the con- fre of the man and his three wives. Would they bo slaves!
Mr. WELLS replied that there wore different grades of slavery, one way was hy adopting children. Those children would be bought ne children of the family and the boy would become the heir of the family. That was a different matter from slavery.
A MEMBER: And the girls?
Mr. WELLLS replied that the girl might be brought up as an adopted daughter, or as a servant-girl-daughter. The Chin- eso had perfected the system to a nicety and there were many grades. His sister had told him she was able to tell on look- ing at a girl whether she was a slave, or brought up as an adopted girl, or solely as daughter. In the case referred to the woman was anxious to have the children, Ag she did not have any of her own. The girl might have the status of an adopted daughter. There was also a supperati- tion among Chinese that if you have children in the house you would get more *children
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