19
438
but at present the spirit in which the decision to abolish the system has been received leads me to hope that it will not be necessary. I ask at least that the introduction may be deferred till it is shown to be unavoidable. If the Secretary for Chinese Affairs lete it be know that the introduction of a system of registration depends largely upon the spirit in which the law is observed I have little doubt that the Chinese community will co-operate to make it work successfully. Attempts to evade it by employing new mui-tɛɛi will be discouraged by public opinion, information will be given to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and one or two successful prosecutions will probably settle the question for good and all.
8.
As stated in my
* deepatch, no mui-taai
have yet expressed the wish to leave their employers and no employers have yet turned their mi-tsai adrift. At present therefore it looks as if it will not be necessary to take any special steps to provide for girls who have ceased to be employed and that we shall in the future as in the past only have to deal with girls who have been taken from the custody of their employers owing to ill treatment. For such cases the existing methods and machinery will suffice.
If, however, a system of registration is enforced it is quite possible that employers will deliberate -ly dispense with the services of a large number of girls in order to embere the Government and it would probably be desirable to meet such a move by requiring the employers to provide for the maintenance of such girls until they
reach a stated age or gan be provided for otherwise.
Obviously, however, it would be undesirable to impose this
liability until it is proved to be necessary.
9.
The question of the payment of wages which
is dealt with in the same part of the Ordinance should also,
I now think, be left in abeyance. Now that the girls know
that they are at liberty to leave their employers they can
火焰
if