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5. Wages must be fixed for the mui-tsai as follows: From 12 to 14 years old, 50 cents a month; from 15 to 17, $1 a month. All mui-tsai who have attained the age of 18 must report the fact to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and have their registra- tion cancelled. They can then either make mutual arrangement with the owners to continue in their employment as free agents or seek employment elsewhere.
6. If a mui-tsai is leaving the Colony, or when she attains full age and freedom, the owner together with the mui-tsai must report the facts of the case the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. In the event of marriage, the mui-tsai should be required to signify her willingness to such marriage to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
7. Any mui-tsai passing through the Colony, or staying temporarily in the Colony, whose residence here exceeds the period of two weeks must report, accompanied by the owner, to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and obtain a certificate of identity. Mui-tsai who stay in Hong Kong for a period exceeding one month and who are under 18 years of age must be given into the charge of the Po Leung Kuk and dealt with in the same way as stipulated in clause 8.
8. All mui-tsai who have been ill-treated or who have not been registered or whose temporary stay in the colony has exceeded the prescribed period must be given their freedom, if they have attained the age of 18. Those who are under 18 must be en- trusted to the Po Leung Kuk which will advertise in the newspaper for the parents, if they are alive, otherwise the nearest kith and kin, to come and claim then. The Po Leung Kuk should execute this duty free for the mui-tsais parents and nearest kith and kin.
Registration regulation for Adopted Daughters.
1. Parents of all adopted daughters in the Colony must register the name of the latter within six months after the promulgation of the law.
2. At the time of registration all deeds of adoption or deeds of gift must be sur- rendered to, and cancelled by, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs who, if satisfied, will in turn issue a certificate confirming that the girl is an adopted daughter.
3. Two copies of a photograph of every adopted daughter must be supplied by her foster parents at the time of registration, one of which is to be filed with the Chinese Secretariat and the other is to be affixed to the certificate issued by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. And as an additional safeguard the adopted daughter will be required to place on the register as well as on the certificate her finger print.
4. The adopted daughter must be present during the registration and it should be the duty of the official in charge clearly to explain the status of the child to the foster parents so that the girl cannot be ill-treated in any way.
5. The parents of the adopted girl should provide her with an education similar to that given to their own children.
6. A heavy fine must be imposed on those who employ an adopted daughter as a mui-tsai and imprisonment if they employ or sell her for prostitution.
Appendix.
The Government should strictly enforce the law prohibiting the sale and purchase of human beings. Hereafter all sale and purchase under documents purporting to be deeds of sale or deeds of gift will be regarded as an infringement of this Ordinance and is punishable by imprisonment. All persons who act as middle-men or go-betweens for the sale and purchase of human beings will also be liable to heavy penalties.
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