1937-03-01 — Page 2

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THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 1, 1937.

Mui Tsai Commission

SATISFIED WITH H.K. MEASURES

WOMAN EXPERT AT S.C.A. URGED:

MINORITY REPORT POINTS

THAT the scheme for registration and suppres- sion of mui tsai in Hong Kong has proved a success, and that Government has the problem under control, is the main conclusion drawn by the Mui Tsai Commission appointed by the British Gov- ernment to investigate conditions in the Colony.

At the same time, the Commission recommends the strengthen- ing of the machinery for the detection of unregistered mui tsai.

One of the specific proposals for Oral instruction of police con- increasing the effectiveness of the stables to detect unregistered girls, work of detection is the appoint however. is recommended. This ment of a woman Assistant Secre should give increased prominence tary for Chinese Affairs.

to Government's disapproval of the system and discourage those who defy the law.

The Commission, which arrived in Hong Kong on May-14 last year and left on June 6, was composed As long as there is doubt as to of Sir Wilfred Woods (Chairman), the actual number of mui tsai în Miss Edith Picton-Turbervill, Mr.

the Colony, continuous detective Charles Willis and Mr. John Jeff work should be carried on and Its lengthy Report, is divided in three more inspectors appointed to to a majority and minority report, this end. the latter by Miss Picton-Turber-

The Committee's main recom- vill, who is of the opinion that there is yet some cause for disquiemendation is that the policy laid down in 1929 and adopted by the tude. →

Hong Kong Government should be continued.

Majority Report. The majority report states the

Other specific proposals are: essential features of the tradition-

Employment of females under : al Chinese system of domestic ser-

years of age as domestic servants vitude, which was one of the re- should be prohibited; the six cognised institutions of the Chinese

months time limit for prosecutions social system until the beginning for the offence of bringing an unre- of the Republican era, twenty-fivegistered mui tsai into the Colony years ago, explains the theoretical should be removed; registered mui distinctions between an adopted tsai should cease to be mui tsai daughter and a mui tsai, and disin law at the age of 18; two in- cusses the allegation that the act spectors should be employed of transferring a woman or child from one family or person to an other for valuable consideration is in all cases a sale of a person, ir- respective

of

the relationship which the act creates, and the sug- The minority report, by Miss gestion that it should be punish- Picton-Turbervill, says that she is able as such.

less satisfied than her colleagues

ex-

a woman

clusively on detection; Assistant Secretary for Chinese Affairs should be appointed.

Minority Report

The systems which have been with the existing state of affairs. built up in Hong Kong for the pro-Investigation convinced her that tection of transferred girls from real problem is created by the domestic servitude and, of all girls, difficulty of defining the status of whether transferred or not, from a mui tsai. sexual exploitation, are discussed

attempt to define and legis- with great thoroughness.

late separately for mui tsai should, After stating that it would be she says, be abandoned, and instead unjust to the Chinese to brand the should be applied the "machinery payments which their custom de- of protection, Le, notification and mands on the occasion of a mar-where necessary inspection, to all riage or adoption as crimes, the transferred girls under twelve Commission comes to the conclu- years of age.

sion that any such law would be anenforceable in practice.

I am convinced that this intri cate problem cannot be solved by The payments suggest no impro- priety to Chinese minds and to compartments and that unless such make them illegal would be regard-generalised protection is given ed by them as an indication of many of the old evils will crop up Government's intention to inter-again and again in different cate fere in purely private and domestic gories under different forms.” affairs.

Miss Picton-Turnervill concludes with two recommendations:

Repeal of the Mui Tsai Law in Hong Kong 192

No Unwarranted Interference

The Report finds that a number of unregistered mui tsai exist in The passing of fresh legislation the Colony but, while urging con- on the lines of a suggested Female tinuation of the vigilant efforts of Child Protection Ordinance, the Government, it sees no reason to general principles of which are, assume that the present scheme abolition of the legal status of can be written down as a failure, mui tsai, protection of girls who It is not easy, the Report con- have left their parents before the tinues, to suggest any new method age of twelve; exemption after re- of Government control but syste- port of genuinely adopted girl matic domiciliary searches for un-children; quasi-adoptions not re- registered mui tsai would be in cognised, status of wards and tem- unwarranted interference with the porary wards, and registration for domestic life of the people of the these purposes to continue indefin- Colony.

itely.