MŨI TSAI. HONG KONG.
147
$23018
ThEelis 30/07
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The custom known as Mui Tsai has existed for ages
throughout China. The essence of the system is
"adoption" of young girls in exchange for a money
payment to their parents. The girls are employed
on domestic work, but are treated to a considerable
extent as members of the family into which they
have been adopted and it is a regular part of the
system that their "employers" should in due course
find them suitable husbands. The system is therefore
akin to adoption rather than to slavery.
The practice being deeply rooted in Chinese life
has continued to exist in Hong Kong since it became
british territory, but in so far as the "purchase" of
a Mui Tsai conveyed any rights over her person, the
system has never received any recognition by the law
of Hong Kong. In order to remove any doubts however, an Ordinance was passed six years ago, definitely
declaring the law on this point. The Ordinance
further made provision for the proper treatment and
protection of Mui Tsai.
The legislation already in existence therefore
does everything which can be done from the legal side,
to effect the abolition of the vestiges of slavery
in the system of Mui Tsai. The complete enforcement
of the law is however extraordinarily difficult
because the practice is so deeply rooted in
Chinese