CO129-202 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1882 [7-9] — Page 140

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

the duties, and that the Secretary

there statemente

Considered there

of

of State

worthy of

of

Hal

Hennessy's

consideration. It was

Se old story

was the

old story, Sing

word

f

writed evidence

but the matter

against

the

honest meu,

baving been well

Nu meions

thrashed out

i

it

appeared

to me

a

matta for Surprise

despatches

pity to reopen it.

It is not to be surprised if that

M: Russell

has been bitterly

apon

bunt by the reflection cast lefron

him.

If dad Him beley

is satisfied

as

to the case

it

might

be well

W.

1.

0.

I.

137

[No. 5900-Joxe 15, 1882,

that the description given by the Chinee community, and by Dr. Eitel in his repert of the 25th of Octóber 1879, of the adguti

for of children and domestic seeritulle in Chi- nese families, tree; at that any abases that may necar will be exposed by the Chinese Society, with which, under your Lordship's matrictions, the police are Jo-operating that no further cluogo is needed in the eventive cachinery now dealing with this matter; and that no Alteration of the law on this subject is required.

by in

As we have already stated, the bulk of the population of longkong up- dgeported the Governor in the view that

there was nothing legal in the or dinary made of adoption of Chinese children in this Colony;" but it be noted here that, although a consider- abie section of the European residents dir think that something should be Y done in order to do away gradually with the power conferred by this system up well-to-do Chinese, Sir John Pope Hennessy expressed his opinion that no further change was reeded in the executive machinery now dealing with this matter." This does not look as if Governor Hennessy were STS, waging a war against the community

for the abolition of Domestic Slavery!

į

3.

QVT-

Fr

tib

If we turn one attention to the more revolting form of so-called slavery, com- monly known as Brothel Slavery, it will be found, from the records of Go- vernor Hennessy's administration iu this Colony, that ue of the most re markable festures of his five years' mis- vale was the neutralisation and disor ganisation of the only Department that could dol etfectively with this evil. In 1875 an Ordinance was passed, dur

g Sie Arthur Kennedy's term of office,

any

for the inore effectual protection of women and children, ander which person convicted of having brought any woman inte the Colony for immoral purposes became liable to a severe pun- ishment. The greatest difficulties im- sguable existed in the way of obtaining Yevidence by which this crime could be

brought home to the affesders-difl ,culties which appeared to become in. surmountable when considered in cou- junction with the low moral sense shown by all concerned in each transae- tions, and the prosaic and indifferent feeling which seemed to prevail amongst almost all classes of the Chinese Coin- manity of the subject. Still, some check was attempted to be placed upon these enarmitice by the Registrar Ge- ueral's Department, up to the time when Governor Hennessy began his forts to destroy the Contagious Diseases Ordinances and to entralise or put an end to all healthy effort put forth by the Protector of the Chinese. The grave complaints made by the Earl at Kimberley, as well as by nearly every medical officer of position belonging to the army or navy who had studied the object, against the supineness of en opinion upon the communicat-Governor Hennessy as regards the ap agraph which appeared in theplication of the law affecting this sub- ool Mercury, and has plaintyject, are on record. The Secretary of what he thought of the statement State has repeatedly called upon Sir John nor Hennessy "has raised the Pope Hennessy to coase his quibblings inst him for what he has and ill-conditioned earliest, anjetet is

gry and to rent eat work to grapple with the dithents, when abuse." Our Shangha con-this delicato but important ques -busing his belief, we pre- tion. he, up past events-thinks that,

Instead of doing this, how- Sir John Pope Hennessy has lost no against time, to the end.

ever, the Governor shuted, and wrote eince his arrival at Home in em-gistrar General's Department remained The Re- ying tools to hoodwink the good pen- the helplase and obaotic

The China Mail.

KONG, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1882.

nuted wine days ago, our coutem of the Shanghai Daily News has

con-

of England. It is a bold, some tition to which it had been dragged ht say an impudent, course to assert until the very eve of Governor Hen- the outery against him in Hong-nessy's disappearance from the scene. arnae from his uprooting a social The war, therefore, which was wagnd, "There can, of course, be no

John was not against Brothel Slavery, in this courection, by the yonuver Sir but against the very Department of Government which loue could make headway against the evil. While he strumental in obtaining the assistance of must be credited with having been in the Chinese in detecting cases of kid- napping, be at the same time incurred the gravest responsibility by leaving all other means untried by which the great evils inseparable from the low morality of the Chinese might have been sue- cosfully dealt with. During the past three months, since the happy release of the Cuinny, the office of Registrar General and "Protector of Chinese has

on about this being the truth with cne who knows anything at all of ants; and it is equally dear that person who supplied this state to the Liverpool paper wall knew he was causing the circulation antrath which was calonated, opted, to prejudicially affect the Lame of the community of this ary. It is probable that. Hongkong eats, who have passed through the atorial experience of the past five s, will survive the publication of this sanilar false and malicious state ; but it is desirable that notice ld be taken of such unfair and onourable tricks, so that the mis-)

dishonesty may be prevented,

eption that might possibly follow reviver as a power in the place. and other experience caturally fits him The Hon. James Russell, whose legal id the countless vexed questions of for its duties, is bringing great welminis ute which disgusted the Colonists strutive ability and energy to the task with the unpalatable regime of Co- of reorganization; and there is every or Hennessy, the egitation raised by reason to believe that in a short time go Smale cancerning Domestic Ser the office will exercise a more potent de was almost the only matter upon influence than it has ever yet done, the Governor and the residents for the unqualified good of the ertained the same opinion. This hae Colony. 1 may be said that the ill frequently stated in these colminas effects of official friction and obstrue- ng the last year or two; and the tion have sufficiently demonstrated how ward possibilities that might arise, trte good can be accomplished, at least overuor Hennessy de ired to favour through this one Department of the ser- Chinese and at the same time re- vice; and now that a capable head has med on friendly terms with the trasheen fairly installed, with full powers a Chief Justice, were the common to reorganise and reconstruct, and jo fest of comment is the press and in all sympathy with the Head of the y social circle. A perusal of the Executive, good fruits will doubt- Book will show most conclusively less he fortheuning in due course, white Governor Hennessy avowedly Indeed, signs have not altogether been we think rightly) defended the wanting already of an inproved state nese for maintaining their system of affaire, especially as affecting the domestic servitude. be coquetted department of work to which our re the Chief Justice, and blew hot rurks specially refer. The C. D. law i cald us it seemed to him advisable, is being vigorously brought into force, hat opinion was held by Governor and those concerned are now beginning house on the so-called domestic to discover that a new band has got ery alleged to be rampant in this hold of the reins, and that any may be judged from the following very different from that under which regize patch, which he wrote on 15th June they have been flourishing for some years part has entered upon work

-

My Lord,--With reference to my view of in earnest. Notwithstanding the io- toin legal questions relating to the so-meuse difficulty experienced in ob sd slavery in Hongkong on which, astaining evidence sufficient to convict he Lordship points out, differed with

late Attorney General, Mr. Phillippo, Colony for immoral purposes, the Regis

in cases of bringing females to the ave had some opportunities of considering

en in consultation with Mr. O'Malley, trar General has succeeded in bringing present Attorney General, and the result home this charge in three eases during Rat, whilst I am clearly of opinion that the last few days. We cannot but this

re is nothing ilegal in the ordinary congratulate Mr Russell upon le of adoption of Chinees children in successiul action, and we think that the Colony, Tatil think that, in the parti Police Magistrates were right in sun- ar caan of sang San Fat's child, I was

wrong in instructing Mr. Phillippo tomarily disposing of the cases referred to. Esecute Loung 4 Tait, as in that case Punishment is alway's most effective ere appeared to be some evidence that with Chinese when it is swiftly denit child was about to be taken out of the ont; and these examples, together with lony, against the wish of the parents, others where giris of tender years were sold in Canton. This seomed to me to concerned, will do much to open the voiva an offence at optainon law.

2. In reply to your Lordship's further eyes of the unprincipled people con- estions I have the honour to state that cerned that such effences cannot longer howed enquiries confirm me in the opinion be tolerated,

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