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enforcing the present law of registration, the baneful
effect upon the morals of this class of young girls
by the abolition of the muitsai system and the
contradictory effect (according to Chinese psychology
at least) of keeping that system alive by registration
whereas that system has already been abolished by Law,
I feel I must, in the interest of the Chinese Community,
submit my views on the subject taking the cases of these
two girls as a basis for illustration.
I consider lir. Kan has taken a right step
in coming forward openly and stating a case to the
Secretary for Chinese Affairs for a decision which will
cover many similar cases and will have an important
bearing on the question and the procedure of registration
of muitsai according to the present law.
A synopsis of the facts relating to the two
girls mentioned above which I have gathered from Mr. Kan
Hung Chiu himself and from the statement contained in
in his letter, is as follows:
The first case. Mrs. Kan, mother of Mr. Kan Hung Chiu,
bought a young girl as her muitsai 12 years ago and gave
her the name "Tsoi Har. 11
This girl is now 18 years of
age according to Chinese reckoning; i.e., between 16 &
17 according to English reckoning. On the 18th of July
last Mr. Kan succeeded in getting the mother of the girl
to come to Hong Kong. After a good deal of persuasion
and paying her $15.00 for her travelling expenses also $50.00 for the girl's temporary maintenance in the
country until she could get work to do, the mother was
willing to take the girl back to her own home. They left
Hong Kong on the same day by the night steamer. The girl herself received "Lee Szes" (luck money) from members
of the Kan family on the occasion of her reunion to her
own