CO882-10 — Page 330

EASTERN

No. 137.

J

[Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.]

322

HONG KONG.

THE MUI TSAI SYSTEM.

(No. 281.) SIR,

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

Downing Street, 9th May, 1923.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 190 of the 29th of March,† regarding the position of the Chief Justice under the new Salaries Scheme.

2. In view of the recommendation of the Committee, with whose general proposals I have dealt in my despatch of even date, I approve of your proposal that the Chief Justice should be allowed a house in Colombo free of rent.

I have, &c.,

→

* No. 27.

+ No. 26.

No. 28.

DEVONSHIRE.

MEMORANDUM BY MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, O.B.E.

This system may be considered to have become the means by which the demand for domestic servants is supplied. The circumstances of the country (for reasons given below) have made board and lodging in a family which can afford it something to be fervently desired for their female children by very many parents. The girls' maintenance and training become the wages of the work done, whilst a single payment to the parents represents the support a child in other circumstances might be expected voluntarily to afford. The age at which children must work if they are to live is so low that any idea of trusting the average mui tsai with wages to be disposed of at her own will is out of the question at the beginning, and the Chinese of the class which would supply mui taai cannot afford to look far ahead, Some idea of the ultimate money value of the girl on marriage may even be considered in the payment made; though the exact ideas underlying the "deeds of gift "the formal documents of transfer of mui taiare left to be inferred from a comparison of the many varying conditions they contain. The deeds take many shapes, down to the most illiterate, and have little in common beyond the use of the word "Sung" (present) and the avoidance of "mai' (mall).

"

They generally contain conditions as to treatment, and perhaps as to marriage; they may go further and enter the details of the control which the parents may continue to exercise; but all this is as a rule omitted and has to be regulated by the customa applicable to the facts.

For in theory still parents do not lose all control over the destinies of their daughter who goes out to work as a mai toni—umlom (and the custom is not common among giria) she is formally and fully adopted.

( BNG WG. 10000--780 100 ya la 8, Tal. de

3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

CO. 882/10

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDONJVERNOR.

Street, 9th May, 1923. r despatch No. 191 of the pointed to make a final to work out details for

ich the Committee have ent of the many com- nvey to you my general

aw expressed by my pre in the salary scales. has, in the case of that it is essential inefficient officer from

the Committee, the task

, which was an urgent

27B, &c.,

DEVONSHIRE.

EASTERN

{Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.]

No. 137.

HONG KONG.

THE MUI TSAI SYSTEM.

!

322

FERNOR.

Mamet, 9th May, 1923.

■ despatch No. 190 of Justice under the new

, with whose general ve of your proposal free of rent.

Mora, &c.,

DEVONSHIRE.

MEMORANDUM BY MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, O.B.E.

This system may be considered to have become the means by which

the demand for domestic servants is supplied. The circumstances of the country (for reasons given below) have made board and lodging in a family which can afford it something to be fervently desired for their female children by very many parents. The girls' maintenance and training become the wages of the work done, whilst a single payment to the parents represents the support a child in other circumstances might be expected voluntarily to afford. The age at which children must work if they are to live is so low that any idea of trusting the average mui taai with wages to be disposed of at her own will is out of the question at the beginning, and the Chinese of the class which would supply mui taai cannot afford to look far ahead. Some idea of the ultimate money value of the girl on marriage may even be considered in the payment made; though the exact ideas underlying the "deeds of gift "the formal documents of transfer of mui taai--are left to be inferred from a comparison of the many varying conditions they contain. The deeds take many shape down to the most illiterate, and have little in, common beyond the use of the word "Sung" (present) and the avoidance of “

mai (all).

35

They generally contain conditions as to treatment, and perhaps as to marriage; they may go further and enter the details of the control which the parents may continue to exercise; but all this is as a rule omitted and has to be regulated by the customs applicable to the facts.

For in theory still parents do not lose all control over the destinies of their daughter who goes out to work as a mui iasă-- unlone (and the custom is not common among girls) sha ia formally and fully adopted.

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