-12-
13.
59
her parents were unknown, the employer would be compelled to
register himself as a "Custodian", and the girl as his "Ward",
or words to that effct. The Ordinance would provide for
the appointment of a "Registrar of Female Domestic Servants"
with all the powers conferred by the present legislation
upon the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and with the widest
powers of granting "exemptions" from registration.
Obviously, there would be a very large number of cases,
where registration, under either heading, would be wholly
unnecessary. There would be provision for making "Rules",
which,inter alia, would cover the appointment of inspectors,
their powers and duties, and such matters as minimum wages
and savings bank accounts,
This is only a very rough outline of a general
idea. I can not help thinking that it is,more or less,what
the Committee had in mind when it expressed its fear that
the British Government may be more concerned in Mui-tsai than in children generally.
If my idea is practicable in
the special circumstances of Hong Kong -and that is a question
upon which it would be rash to express any opinion until a
competent tribunal has investigated my first terms of reference-
-(what I may call the beginning, the middle and the end of
a mui-tsai class girl)-then I can claim for it that it treats
all girls alike, and that it puts an end to the most undesirable
"Mui-Tsai" complex.
If I understand the report correctly,
the Committee has the same ends in view.
As this letter replies to the Committee's
observations on my memorandum, and (as I sincerely hope) it
may help to clarify the issues yet to be decided, I venture
to express the hope that,if the Committee's report is published as a Command Paper, this letter may also be published.
I have the honour to be,
sir,
выкопке
то
The and it freading of flame
Your obedient servant