-4-
49
beyond doubt It is, however, generally understood to connote some powers of advice, guidance, encouragement, admonishment, discipline and punishment, and even occasion- -ally some chastisement. Above all,daily supervision
and personal influence are essential. Such control
could hardly be exercised by a European Government Officer, whose entry into the household and access to the child, or young woman, would certainly be an in
inovation in
Chinese domestic life. Moreover, the appointment of an "Official Guardian" would appear to remove from the employers the powers of parental control, which they exercise -often most admirably-at present.
W
There
The Committee's reasons for the appointment of sepatate officers are not convincing, and it is possible
to express some doubts regarding its practicability.
is no mention of the cost of appointing an "Official
"Guardian" for such an ehormous number of children. With
regard to the number of Lady Inspectors, however,it will
be seen below that the Committee is concerned by financial
burden on the Colony of the appointment of additional officers, whose salaries, in terms of sterling, are only a few pounds a month.
Further enquiry directed to the problem
as a whole may show that the solution will be found along
entirely different lines, and that a dual system will be
unnecessary. I wil refer to this in my concluding
paragraphs.
Third question. My suggestion was that
a classification by ages would be useful. It has already
been adopted by the Hong Kong Government, and has led to
n
the elucidation of the "age limit mentioned above. I am
concerned, however, by the Committee's statement that one
of the reasons for impossibility of obtaining accurate
figures is that "the law itself is uncertain".