Mui Tsai (servant girls) in Hong Kong.
158
For some time past thele has been a campaign
of misrepresentation in this countly as to the custom
of adopting girl domestics in Hong-Kong, payment being
made to the parents on adoption. It is over and over
It
again stated that this custom is tolerateu in Hong Kong
whereas it has been declared illegal (and by inference
abolished) in China generally. The fact is that the
custom prevails generally in China, with no such pro-
tection for the girls as is provided in Hong Kong.
is true that since the revolution in Chins a law was
passed to abolish the custom as previously prevailing
from time immemorial, and substituting another system
which provided for practically the same thing, but no
attempt has been or is being made to enforce the
technical illegality of the old custom or to ensшe to
the modifications in the above law are observed.
The custom in Hong Kong is not recognised by
the law of the Colony, which is the law of England gives the adopting employer no right at all as against
the girl. The impossibility however of terminating
the custom is as great in Hong Kongas in China genel al
It springs from economic conditions which cannot be
altered by Government action. The great majority of
Chinese families are so poor that all the children t
be reared by their parents. It is necessary therefr
for them to part with sale of their girls in order
these may be provided with sustenance, and the sun
money which they receive on placing them out is of
essential