1929-06-04 — Page 7

TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1929.

MUI TSAI SYSTEM

ETHICS EXAMINED FROM

CATHOLIC ANGLES

TRANSFERENCE OF RIGHTS

In the "Rock," Fathe. P. Joy, S.J., writes:

The Female Domestic Service Ordinanc& 1923, which the Hong

THE CHINA MAFL,

binding the purchaser to treat the age to a more desirable husband | SHADOWS BEFORE. child well and not impose on her than she would have got had she work that is beyond her strength remained under her father's roof. COMING EVENTS ANNOUNCED In practice these conditions can- There is no doubt that in ecme not be enforced by the parents cases the master and mistress of and, on the conclusion of the con- | a mui-tsai treat her with affec- tract and the payment of the tion and humanity. However rare agreed sun, the little girl is such cases may be, the person transferred to the house of her who wishes to give an impar purchaser and becomes, for all tial verdict on the system as a practical purposes, his property.

whole must take them into con- The duration of her stay undersideration and be warned by them- Kong Government issund as a step the roof of by owner is some against 'basing. his conclusions on towards the elimination of the

a fixed number the sweeping generalisations Mui-tsai system from the Colony, times limited to though ineffective as a ping of of years in the contract, but such which are so beloved of a certain legislation, is valuable as an off-cuses are rare and, I have beca type of "reformer."

ia inserted

Coming, now, to consider the 'cial exposition of the system informed, the clause

in these rare enses merely through ethical aspects of the question, self Section 2 of Part 1 gives a definition of the Mui-tsai Systema desire to avoid actual or pop it is not necessary to prove that sible legislation in regard to the traffic in mui-tsai for purposes of It runs As follows:

Whereas, certain persons have cr sale or purchase of mut-tsai. In prostitution is absolutely against

we have to the natural law. No zoneously supposed, that the payment practice, therefore, of money to the parent or guardian treat this contract as the sale and place either themselves or others or employer of a femaly child, such purchase of lifelong property under an obligation to serve the payment purporting to be in turn rights over these children, whe purposes of sin. for the transfer of certain parenta! rights, may confer rights of property ther as against the children them-

one can

More Normal Contract What are we to think of the

In the

in the child and curtain rights of resalves or as against their parents taining possession, custody and on This is a point of vital import-more normal form which this trol of the child as against the chilesauce in considering the ethics of kind of contract takes? parent or guardian

and in the question. It will therefore be first place it has to be condemn the child herself. it is hereby ed and enacted, that us even payroort useful, at this point, to meet posed on ethical grounds in so far can confer ang such rights whatssible objections.

as it gives to the owner of the ever upon the person making auch

No Right to Liberation

mut-tsal the right to sell her into ¦ payment or upon any other person." tt will be objected, for example, marriage without consulting her

Even if a person know nothing

The marriage cen about the Mui-sai system beyond that in the vast majority of cases own wishes. what is containeil in this Ordinamui-tsai is liberated on reach ance, he would gather the follow

actor:

tract is formally constituted by ing the age of marriage. But the consent of the two parties who are to share one another's lives ing facts as to its general chamust be borne in mind that this

practice. though almost universal as husband and wife. Parents is founded on no right to libera- have no right to compel their (a) By a contract purchase h

It would be truer to say children to marry against their tween the parents of the chill and tion.

or to her purelaser there are transferre, that it rather emphasises the com- will not only parental rights. but aliteteness of the owner's dominion, "eertain rights of property in the ecause the girl is not simply custody and control

child, and certain rights of retaining i

of the child arciven her liberty and the oppor

A

marry this person

rather than that. Not possessing such a right, they are not in a position to alienate it. Hence the contract is void under this head. against the child's parent or guardian unity to choose a husband. and as against the child herself." husband is chosen for her by her Besides, parents are not entitled

(b) These rights arc

times master. at

He sells the girl to her to force their children to select a transferred by the original purchaser

life which is not only to another. Thus we read: "No mui- would-be husband and usually at state of

but price much higher than that a stable

immutable. Sach tsa: shall hereafter be transferred from one employer to another." (hich he originally bought her.

states are, for example, the priest- hood, the religious life and the

will be noted that the Ordinames uses?

Furthermore it has been point

the words "employer" but "purchas out by some that if a girl married state. The reason is er "owner" is a more exact des oes not wish to marry, as some-that the rights of parents over cription of the status.)

(e) These rights inay pass, upon tipes happens. she is often al- their children

cease when the

the death of the owner, to another wad either to remain on in the child reaches the age of eman- persun. The Ordinan makes the bure of her master or is set at cipation. There still remains, in- following provisions "Every perand, herty on undertaking to pay a deed, the duty on the who ufter The date

part of the of the coming

to her master by children to into

love and reverence of this Ordinance, shall certain sum become the employer of a mui-tsai wody or monthly instalments their parents but they are по by reason of the death of the former Again, so far from disproving the longer under the duty of

uperation

employer of such ami-tsai or

or for Budy

other reason, shall report such fact in the prescribed manner within on week, after he shall bare become the a actual employer of such mu-tsai."

IN THE "MAIL"

ENTERTAINMENTS

To-day Queen's "White Shadows".

To-day World "Ramshackle House."

To day Star "Echange of Wives.".

To-day Majestic "Body and Souf

To-day Great Chinese Praya East, 9 p.m.

Home Mails

Theatre;

Theatre;

Theatre;

Theatre;

NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.

NOTICE TO CONSIGNEES.

THE BEN LINE STEAMERS, LIMITED.

From MIDDLESBRO', ANTWERP, LONDON AND STRAITS.

The Steamship,

**BEN MOHR”. Consignees of Cargo are hereby in- Circus, formed that all Goods are being land. ed at their risk into the hazardous and/or extra hazardous Godowns of The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf Today Inward from U.S.A., and Godown Co., Ltd., whence and/or Japan, S'hai and Europe via from the wharves delivery may be ob

tained Siberia ("Tenyo Maru").

To-morrow-Outward for Shang hai, Japan and Europe via Siberia, "Empress of France") 10 a.m. Lammerts' Auctions

4-At 231, Nathan-d Kowloon (2nd floor) household

June

rens

No claims will be admitted after the Goods have left the Godowna, and all Grads remaining undelivered after the 11th inst., will be subject to

be presented to the Undersigned an or All claims against the stearier must before the 25th inst

or they wil]- not be recognised,

Terrace, A broken, chafed, and damaged (ground Goods are to be left in the Godowns, where they will be examined on the 10th inst., at 10 a.m., by Messrs.

Goddard and Douglas.

furniture, etc., 11 a.m.

June 1-At 38, Rose Nathan-road, Kowloon, floor) a collection of Curios, 2.30 p.m.

June 5-A 14, Knutsford-terrace, Kowloon, household furniture, etc., ed,

motor,

il a.m

June, 7-At Sales Room, boat and motor ears, 3 p.m.

June 7-At Sales Room, house- hold furniture etc., 2.30 p.m.

June 7-At Sales Room, a collec- tion of postage stamps, 5.15 p.m.

Meetings

June 7-Meeting of shareholders of the Peak Tramways Co., Hong Kong Hotel, 11 am.

June 19 Forty-eighth meeting of Indo-China Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., Messrs. Jardine's Offices,

Roon.

FISHING RIGHTS

RUSSO-JAPANESE NEGOTIA- TIONS FAIL

Tokyo. May 22.

No Fire Insurance has been effect

Bill of Lading will be countersign- ed by,

GIBB, LIVINGSTON & CO., LTD., Agents. Hong Kong, 4th June, 1920.

IN OTHER PLACES

CHRONICLES FROM JAPAN TO JAVA

Mr. F. T. Tree has gone to Singa- pore as Commissioner of Lands.. and Mr. B. S. Walton has taken his of place in Malacca as Collector Land Revenue. Mr. Tree was here only a few months and succeeded another swift bird of passage.

The engagement is announced of Mr. Matthew Lawrence Frank de

The controversy between Japan Souza, eldest son of Mrs. A. A. de and Russia regarding fishing rights Souza of Singapore to Winnie, is not likely to be settled as the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. obedialisation of the fishing industry,

Soviet is contemplating the nation-H. Bull of Winchester, Hampshire,

England.

igence of a lifelong dominion, ence. To compel the child i a The Foreign Office is disturbed

these concessions to the mui-tsai matter which affects all

an assertion of such a claim.quent use of their liberty

Lilelong Dominion

demand, in that particular

W would seem to have no op an cbedience which the

subse--at the news that Japanese fisher-

The marriage of Mr. Victor is to men in Russian territory have de- Skelchy, son of Mr. T. Skelchy, of matter,cided to take action on their own Kuala Lumpur. and Miss Eileen child responsibility. Nichi-Nichi Ser- Wynaden, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. These vice.

(1) Some Information as to the age at which the children are sold as tin, therefore, but to consider is not bound to give.

-Leai would be gathered from the

the ontract of sale as the trans- considerations compel us to following sections:

"Subject to the period allowed for fartuce of a lifelong dominion condemn the mui-taa: contract registration and subject to the pre over the purchased girl. What is under 2 second head also. visions of section 8, no person shall the nature of the life led by these As we showed above, this contract. have in his employment any female

It is true, as we said confers a lifelong right or domin- domestic servant under the age of 10 girls? years unless such servant is a re-above, that some are destined for ton of the purchaser over the gistered mui-tsai,"

a life of sin. It is even true that person purchased. We showed that "Every mui-tsal of or over the age all the girls employed in houses the various forms of liberation of 10 years shall be entitled to such

recruited from under which the mui-tsai is liber- wages for her services da shall be of ill-fame are

among the mui-tsai. But they are ated on reaching the age of marri prescribed."

fe) Some dnub! as to the age only a small fraction of the total age, prove, rather than disprove. limit at the other end of the scals number. The normal lot of athe possession of such a lifelong would be left in his mind by the uitsai is a life of domestic ser-dominion. Now the rights of the words "any mui-ten, under the advice in the homes of their mas parents themselves to the obedience of IS

15 years" which appear in anther

There is, however, a vast of their part of the Ordinance.

ters.

In Case of Cruelty

It

children do

(Continued on Page 8.)...

ITALIAN ART

SCALA ORCHESTRA VISIT TO BERLIN

At 4

H. E. Wyraden, of Klang, was to take place at the Church of Our Jady of Lourdes, Klang, at 8.30 a.m. yesterday.

A swarm of honey bees was re- cently seen hiving on a riesha, on Berlin, May 25.

Beach Street, Penang. A crowd of city banquet given in idlers gathered round to view this honour of the Scala Orchestra of unusual sight. The poor riesha Milan and the famous conductor, puller was held up for hours with Signor Toscanini, the Mayor, Herr out a hire, being afraid to disturb Bess, referred to the century-old the been. artistic friendship between Italy

and Germany. The Mayor of The Commissioner of Foreign has been ordered by the Milan, Signor Darzago, returned Affairs

into negotia- thanks on behalf of the guests for Waichiaopu to enter the hearty welcome accorded. tians with the Portuguese Consul- General for a settlement of the Trans-Ocean.

claims of Portuguese citizens result- ing from the Nanking outrage.

The Kirkwood Hotel at Dea Moines was recently destroyed by fire, with the loss of five lives.

The Shenchow Native Herbalists and Medical Practitioners Associa Mr. R. C. K. Johnson, for so many tion have decided to subscribe for years amateur billard champion of the erection of an association build- Shanghai, returned to the northern Ing in Shanghai and to organize a port recently on a brief visit which school and 悲 scientific research

has been following reports of Chinese press telegrams from local billiards with much interest Kiukiang indicate that the Yangtze and is highly gratifled at the en-has risen six inches during the past thusiasm that has been shown this few days. Accordingly, the native | season, much of which, it can be shipping companies have reduced said, is the outcome of his own their freight charges, which were earlier efforts to popularize tourna- increased when it was learned that

vessels ment play in the Settlement, says large

were unable to the "N. C. Daily News."

proceed to Hankow.

not ед (f) Suspicion us to possible cruelty difference between them and hir-dure beyond the age of emancipa in the treatment of these girls woulded Servants.

A coolie or antion. Conzequently they are again. be aroused by the section which pro- bibite "any punishment to which such mah, for example, is paid a fix-alienating something which they do employer might not reasonably sub. ed monthly wage. They are free not possess. It is as though a man ject his own daughter" and by the to abandon their positions and possessing a twenty years lease of a provision that in every prosecution seek others. - But the mui-tsai is property should let it to another for over-work or ill-treatment of

and on a forty years lease.

The con- entitled to no remuneration mai-tapi medical evidence shall be riven before the magistrate,

is not free to leave her master's tract is void from the beginning. trying

Choice of a Husband? fhr case, as to the iniries received employment. by such mai-tsai and the magistrats

But some one may put us a fur- shall And whether such ill-treatment

ther question: Would the mui-tsai amounted in

This total dependence is still contract be defensible h's opinion. to gross

on ethi renehty or not."

further emphasised by consider cal grounds if the rights of the A Warning

ing the helplessness of her poz- fchildren to free choice of a husband

is part of a business tour of the institute. Starting from these meagre detin in case of crucity. She, her and to be liberated at the age of Far East in general. Mr. Johnson talls. a person who wishes to come self, is helpless, as we have seen. emancipation were safeguarded? to grips with the ethical problems She is not free to leave. Her To answer this question we shall involved in the mui-tsal system parents are equally helpless. propose a number of cases gradu- will naturally seek a more de-1 is true that in most cases they ally approximating to the case to tailed knowledge beford pronoune have full freedom to visit their be considered. No one would deny, ing a considered judgment and it children from time to time, but for example, that the parents may is here that one has to be warn- they are powerless to do more exact from their own children such ed against hasty generalisations.than protest against cruel treat-assistance in their own homes as is For example. he will find anment. There seems little doubt opinion fairly common among that cruelty is the commoner lot Europeans that these girls are in of the muitai. In some cases most cases exposed to a life of one hears of the master coasent- sia at the hands of their purchasing to the restoration of such érs. Fuller enquiry will show children when the parents-mov- him that this does, indeed, happened by the hardships of their in some cases but that in the vast child's life-restore to the master majority of casca it is not 80. In the original purchase price. But most cases the parents sell their such cases are and, in the nature children because of poverty. of things must be, very rare. Sometimes, notably during periods Again, stress has been laid by of famine in such regions as some on the fact that legal re- Shantung. the parents are in such inedies are Lot wanting. It is extremes that there is no other pointed out that in Hong Kong a means left open to them of sav-mul-tsai can appeal to the Secre- ing the lives of even the girls tary of Chinese Affairs and that! themselves. It is either life as a in China ifself she can appeal to mui-tsai or death by starvation, the local authorities for redress There are, of course, cases where, and protection. But everyone is for example, a father is so de agreed. I think, that the number! graded by opium or gambling that of these appeals, bears no propor-] he is ready to sacrifice even his tion to the extent of the evil," own children to obtain means of nor is it possible to afford any- gratifying his passion, but here thing like effective legal protec- also our own commonsense should tion under existing circumstances. put us on our guard against exag The. mui-faai must therefore be gerated generalisations.

considered as completely at the "A Fair Statement"

mercy of her master and mistresse So far as the present writer has Her parents, whose duty it was to been able to form an accurate protect her. have placed her be opinion, the following is a fair yond the reach of their own prof statement of the facts. A family tection..

is faced with poverty. In these Some may consider this an over` straits the parents sall one of statement of the lot which befalls their daughters. There is the the mui-tsa They will point out, double purpose of relieving them which is true, that in many cases of the burden of supporting ber the multa is better of in the and of providing a little financial the home of her owner than the assistance towards the support of would be in her

own home. the rest of the family. These Often she receives better food and sales generally take place when clothing than her own parents the girl is between the ages of could give her, she receives in- neven and ten. Sometimes condi-struction in sewing, cooking, etc. tions are attached to the sale and, finally, she is sold in marri-

Foundation of National Culture

Two view Canadians freza Romizanda cherromatra do alas art of weayling at Regina,

Those who have in the past regarded the New Canadians from Europe as bowers of wood and drawers of water must, after the recent demonstrations at the Great Weet Festival at Regina, admit that these peoples have, with their native arts, decidedly enhanced the cultural wealth of the country of their adoption 1. Murray Gibbon, who Rponsored the festival-under the auspices of the Canadian Pacific Rail- way even goes so far as to say that Saskatchewan and the other prairie provinces have within their borders the foundation of a National culture finer than that of any other nation on earth. To this foundation, the Winnipeg, first god for which had been turned at the previous festival

all the races which go to make up the peoples of the west have contri buted Icelanders and Irish with their folk songs and lore, Swedes and Slave alike with their folk-crafts and dances Hardly a race known to mvilization, old or new, but contributed to the festival some artistry which will make for the further development of that culture which, Being wations, will be the means of welding to a still greater solidarity, ther people who are Canada.

That the movement for the attainment of this end is a popular ona was demonstrated by the fact that literally thousands were unable to obtain admission to the exhibits and concerts and that western cities are vising with one another as the site of the next festival

The Greater Shanghai Land Bureau bas received Instructions from Gen. Chang Chun, Mayor of Greater Shanghai, to select a suit-; able lot of land on which to erect the new Municipal Building. The Mayor hopes to house in this new building the various departments of the Municipality.

QUEEN'S

Special Return Engagement FOR ONE WEEK ONLY

Commencing

Thursday

At All Performances

SAM KU WEST

“The Kreisler Of The Guitar".

and

The Only Hawaison Harpist With THE PARADISE HARMONY TRIO

FOR ONE WEEK ONLY

USUAL PRICES.

A COLUMBIA RECORDBY

HIS MAJESTY THE KING

9414

THE KING'S RECORD,

The Speech of HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V. at the Opening Ceremony of the Tyne Bridge. (Recorded in the Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead-on-Tyne, Octo- ber 10th, A:D; 1928).

An Address of Welcome to HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V. at the Opening Ceremony of the Tyne Bridge-By W. Swinburne, Town Clerk, County Borough of Gateshead

Anderson Music Co., Ed.

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