- 5-
101
109 (141 less 44 plus 12).
7 (a)
Of the three uitsai who are mentioned
in paragraph 2 as having died during the period under review,
one died in hospital from natural causes whilst the deaths
of the other two were attended by circumstances which
deserve special mention as follows.
(b)
One Muitsai, 21 years of age, committed
suicide by jumping from the first floor of her employer's
residence. About two years ago she was betrothed by her
mistress but the engagement was broken off after a year or
so on account of the illness of the prospective husband.
Later she was betrothed again to a hairdresser but this man
was unable to marry her at the appointed time because he
lost his money in the bankruptcy of his employer's business.
The deceased girl was upset and depressed after this second
disappointment and it appears that she deliberately threw
herself from the verandah of the first floor. A Coroner's
Inquiry was held into the girl's death and the Jury return-
ed a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind with a rider
to the effect that the girl had not been ill-treated in
any way by her employer. She had, in fact, been in the
service of her employer for twelve years and appears to
have been exceptionally well-treated.
(c)
The other Muitsai, aged 16, either
jumped or fell from the roof of her employer's residence.
The day before her death the girl was visited by one of
the Lady Inspectors and was asked about the amount of
wages which she received from her employer. She stated
that she had received only four dollars in wages since
her registration but that she did not mind whether any
wages were paid or not. The employer, when interviewed, stated that she had not saved up the girl's wages but that she intended to pay the arrears to the girl on her