The
Enclosure 2.
Extract from Hongkong Daily Press dated 1.8.24.
LIBELS ON THE COLONY
RESENTED.
[Ton. Mr. HOLYOAK in acord- ance with notice previously given moved the following resolution:-
That the following resolution he for- warded to the Secretary of State :-
That having regard to the announce- ment by the Press that an Advisory Hody has been appointed by the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies to advise and enquire into the Maisons tolérées ' and Social Hygiene in Hongkong amongst other places, the Unofficial Members of this Council welcome any enquiry which has the object of im- proving the conditions of life in and upholding the good name of the British Empire and Colonial Possessions, but resent the fact that the inclusion of Hongkong in this enquiry should have resulted from malicious, misleading and exaggerated representations to the Government which have been widely circulated in England for some time past.
The Hon. Member said: 1 rise, Sir, to propose the resolution standing in my mane. I need scarcely say, Sir, that it is distasteful to me to go into detail on this subject, nor is it necessary to do so. For months past, Sir, a tissue of libels, which I personally can only describe as malicious, and perhaps inspired, have been circulated at Home in connectiou with this Colony, both us regards the Muš Taai system and what is called the Social Evil Conditions," the bulk of which, I do not hesitate to state, are not borne out by the facts as we know them. That there has been growing pub- lic indignation here of these libels has been evidenced in the Press and it would certainly have found voice in public meet- ings if the present opportunity had not occurred. There is evidence of the mis interpretation of facts even by those who wern supposed to know. I would recall to Your Excellency's mind and to the minds of hon. members of this Councit that some two years ago we had a visita- tion from a Commission inquiring into vice in the Eastern ports and a statement was published in one of the most pro- minent medical journals over the name of Mrs. Neville Rolfe, a member of that Commission, who spent some time in quiring into conditions here, containing assertions which were so definitely con- sidered not only a gross misrepresenta- tion of the facts, but libellous in its references to the state of disease in this Colony that a well-known private medical practitioner here book upor himself personally to contradict the statements, with the result that Mrs. Neville Rolfe WHS moved to retract the statement. These and many other Buch statements have led to the incor- poration of Hongkong into the appoint- meut of an Advisory Body to inquire into the **munisons
tolereos" and social hygiene of Hongkong and other plaers. I subunit that it could be fairly recog- uised that this is totally unnecessary, 80 far as Hongkong is concerned at any rate.. In the second place I think I express the unanimous opinion of hon. members when 1825 we_resent interference in what we the
Colony of Hongkong. The Government might with no greater reason have desired to appoint a Committee to advise upon the hospital system of Hongkong and we, with equal impropriety, might demand enquiry into the conditions of vice exist- ing at Home. As an old resident of many years standing and as our who has stood outside the Government and ocea- sionally criticised it, I can say that the system of registration here is a system not to protect vice, but to protect wwwen and children from vice. Finally, so much has been said and circulated at Home which has been misrepresentation of tho truth, possibly having some little sub- stration of truth, that we would urge that the Home Government, so far as Hongkong is concerned, at any rate. should appoint to the Advisory Body soma resident of long standing in Hongkong familiar with the facts, life and conditions here, and therefore calculated to give sound advice thereon. I cannot too strongly express the extreme resentment of this Colony that its name should have: been fouled, unjustly fouled, by the state- ments which have been made converging
The Hon. Mr. H. W. BIRD: I wish to fully endorse the remarks that have fallen from the senior unofficial member. It would seem that no matter how irrespon- sible they may be, he or she has only to say something derogatory to Hong- kong, and notice is promptly taken of such things without any attempt to find out whether the statements are true or not
I strongly support the suggestion of my colleague that this Colony should be re- presented on this advisory body by some. one who has close knowledge of the facts that exist here, so that in the event of statements being made regarding local conditions that are incorrect they could' he promptly contradicted. With these remarks I beg to support the resolution.
Hon. Mr. KOTEWALL: Sir, 1 support the resolution, though I should have been glad to see the word "malicious " omnit ted, for I am inclined to the belief that the action of those whose activities have brought this Colony so unpleasantly and unfairly into the limelight. has been actuated by excessive zen for their causé rather than by any unworthy motive. I wish. however, to associate myself in this public protest against such action which has undoubtedly tended to create a false impression of conditions in Hongkong.
The Hon. Mr. CHAC SI KI: I agree with the remarks made by my hon. friend Alr. Kotewall,
In
The Hon. Mr. C. G. ALABASTER; rising to support this resolution I would like to draw the attention of the Counci! to the fact that during the last five years or wo the Secretaries and the Tinder- Secretaries of State have been called to answer means relating to
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