PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
14
4. I approve the proposal to amend the Opium Ordinance, 1894, so as to alto- gether exclude women from opium shops; and I think it desirable that an early op- portunity should be taken to amend the Liquors Ordinance, 1894, and the Indian Act 3 of 1863 by inserting sections similar to sections 14 and 15 of the Imperial Licensing Act, 1872, instead of leaving the matter to be dealt with simply by Regulations issued under those laws.
18367.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
No. 11.
GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
→ (Received October 18, 1895.)
(No. 395.)
[Answered by No. 12.]
Government House, Singapore, September 22, 1895. WITH reference to Lord Ripon's despatch, No. 436, of the 28th December last,* I have the honour to forward, for your approval, before submitting it to the Legislative Council, a draft Billt which has been prepared by the Acting Attorney-General " to consolidate and amend the Law relating to the Protection of Women and Girls."
2. In my despatch, No. 166, of the 30th April, I forwarded a copy of a Memoran- dum drawn up by a Committee of the Executive Council, dealing with the points raised by Lord Ripon in his despatch above quoted, several of which, such as the modification of the "ticket system," and the abolition of the medical examination of girls, have already been dealt with by instructions to the Protector of Chinese.
3. As regards the necessary legislation, a Bill was prepared to effect the amend- ments directed by the Secretary of State. This would, however, have been the fifth Amending Ordinance since the passing of the principal Ordinance (XIV. of 1888), and I felt it was desirable, in order to prevent confusion, to introduce a Consolidating Ordinance re-enacting the principal Ordinance in its amended form. This has been accordingly done, and the Bill as now drafted is the outcome of most careful revision on the part of the Acting Attorney-General and the Protector of Chinese.
4. The Acting Attorney-General explains very fully the objects and reasons of the various amendments which have been introduced, and which experience has shown to be necessary. Sub-section (1) of section 7 gives effect to the Secretary of State's directions as regards emigration from the Colony to Johore and Kedah, and when the change has been in force for a year, a report as to its effect will be furnished.
Since the draft was prepared, your despatch of the 12th August, No. 245,§ has been received, and you will find that the new clause suggested in paragraph 3 of that despatch appears in the draft Ordinance as section 4 (ii.).
6. Pursuant to your desire intimated in paragraph 2 of that despatch, a new section, 17, has been added to the draft Ordinance. However good in principle this section may be, it seems rather out of place in this Ordinance, and scarcely in accordance with paragraph XXIV., Clause 3, of the Royal Instructions, and has been inserted
with some natural reluctance on the part of the draftsman, who has amended the title of the Bill in consequence of this section.
7. If it passes in its present shape it may hereafter, I presume, be replaced by any enactment which may be made for amending Indian Act 21 of 1857.
C. B. H. MITCHELL.
I have, &c.,
• No. 4
↑ Not printed.
+ No. 6.
§ No. 10.
3938.
15
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. No. 12.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL.
(No. 138.)
[Answered by No. 13.]
SIB,
Downing Street, April 15, 1896. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I approve the introduction of the Bill, enclosed in your despatch, No. 395, of 22nd September last,*" to consolidate and amend the law relating to the protection of Women and Girls.”
2. I am, however, disposed to think that the word “habitually" in clause 5 of the Bill had better be omitted.
3. I would also ask you to consider, with reference to paragraph 2 of Viscount Knutsford's despatch, No. 50, of 15th February, 1889, whether in sub-section (1) (v.) and in sub-section (3) of clause 4, the age "fourteen" should not be altered to "sixteen,” which is the age specified in sub-sections (1) (ii.) and (1) (iii) of the same clause. I may remark that this amendment would not have the effect of interfering with marriages under the age of sixteen (as appeared to be assumed in paragraph 2 of your predeces- sor's deepatch No. 568 of 31st December, 18881), since the provision in question refers 'unlawful" relations, but if you still see any objection to the change of age I will not press the point.
to
FC
26186.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
No. 13.
GOVERNOR SIR C. B. H. MITCHELL to Mв. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received December 21, 1898.)
(No. 518.)
Government House, Singapore, November 24, 1896. WITH reference to your despatch, No. 138, of the 13th April laat,§ I have the honour to forward a certified copy of Ordinance No. XVII. of 1896, entitled “An Ordi- nance to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Protection of Women and Girls and for the suppression of Brothels."
2. I also enclose a copy of the Attorney-General's report on the Ordinance, and a copy showing the modifications made in the Legislative Council since the Bill was submitted to and approved by you.
3. With reference to paragraph 8 of your despatch, No. 188, of the 15th April last,§ I may state that on the advice of the Chinese Advisory Board the limit of age in sub-section (1) (v.) and sub-section 3 of section 4 was raised to fifteen, and not to sixteen, as suggested by you.
I have, &o.,
Enclosure in No. 18. STRAITE SETTLEMENTS. ORDINANCE No. XVII. or 1896.
C. B. H. MITCHELL.
An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Law relating to the Protection of Women and Girls and for the Suppression of Brothels.
(L.S.)
C. B. H. MITCHELL,
(19th November, 1896.)
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
It is hereby enacted by the Governor of the Straits Settlements with the advice
and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
PRELIMINARY.
1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance, Short title.
1896."
2. On and after the commencement of this Ordinance the enactments specified in Repeal.
the first Schedule shall be repealed to the extent in the same Schedule mentioned.
• No. 11. † P. 63 of [H. O. 39], 1889. ↑ P. 64 of [H. O. 59].
f No. 12. | Not printed.