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PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
(Received Colonial office 7.p.m. 28th March, 1922.)
With reference to your cypher telegram of March 21st. The Societies for the Abolition and for Protection of Mui Teai are shortly holding a joint con- ference with a view to settling what are the best steps to take to secure abolition as soon as possible. The issue of the proclamation should, I venture to suggest, be deferred until their report is received. If, however you consider that it is necessary to issue it at once, in view of your statement in Parliament, I would suggest following terms:-
"The following proclamation is issued by the Governor under instructions from His Majesty's Government,
Slavery is not allowed to exist in the British Empire, and therefore it must be understood that Mui Teai are not the property of their employers. Those of them who wish to leave their employers and who have reached years of discretion must be allowed to apply to Secretary for Chinese Affairs who will consider their
cases.
Girls are warned that they must not leave thei present employers until they have some employment to go to for fear they should fall into the hands of pro-
curesses.
Masters and Mistresses are specially warned against any attempt to prevent Mui Tsai from seeing the
Secretary Chinese Affairs"
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