j
-
3
partly from the fact that until the passing of Ordinance No.13. of 1929 the purchase and sale
of children was not in itself a criminal offence.
In no case was it possible to prove that the children had been kidnapped or, in the case of female children,that they were to be sold or trained for an immoral purpose.
6.
Since the new Ordinance came into force,
it is possible that in some cases at least legal
proceedings might be brought.
it is however, felt
that the object in view can at the moment be better
secured by the method at present being adopted.
The effort now being made to break up the organizations
engaged in this traffic has met with success almost
entirely through the energy and resource of one woman.
Once she has appeared in court, her usefulness in this
connection will be at an end. Were this traffic in
the hands of a gang whose ringleaders could be traced
and indicted, it would be advisable to use every
effort to bring them to justice. This is not, however,
the case and the policy adopted seems likely to have
more effect in eradicating the evil from this Colony
than isolated prosecutions could do. At the same time the police are considering whether in view of the
recent change in the law criminal proceedings could not
be undertaken in some cases with better hope of success.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most, obedient, humble servant,
vernor, &c.