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men and women to the low. By those Act women's are liable to be called upon to prove themselves innocent of an undefined offence on the uncorroborated charge of a policeman drawing an inference on to character from fact he need not give in evidence, and which may in no wise justify his suspicions; such women, being further deprived of the right to trial by Jury accorded to those accused of the worst of crimes, while the accusers, however unworthy, are virtually secured against any kind of punishment or disgrace or liability to make amends.
Four Memorialists, however, desire to lay before your Lordship the following considerations bearing more especially upon the system of licensed prostitution which has been enacted and enforced in Hong Kong under the sanction of your Lordship's predecessors in office since the alteration in that system in the year 1857 to ... Arrere or improvement in its administration can in the least disarm our opposition to its existence, which we base upon the principle that what is morally wrong cannot be politically right, any more than it can ultimately be beneficial as a sanitary measure.
The Contagious Diseases Ordinance in that Colony provides for the issue of licenses on payment of four dollars per month to the Colonial Treasury, to carry on with the sanction of law the vile traffic of prostitution. The houses licensed by our Government are forced to distinguish themselves by lamps of a well understood character placed outside their doors. This outrage upon public decency has been a scandal to our professed Christianity, and a bar to the success of those who endeavour to make the Gospel known to the Chinese.
We observe, however, that there are some in the Administrative Departments of the Government, as well as in our Legislative, who consider that religious and moral considerations must give way before questions affecting the health of her Majesty's military and naval servicemen. But we know that, as a matter of fact, the original object of these systems were professedly for the better prevention of "Contagious Diseases" (see preamble Hong Kong Ordinance).
We, however, beg to call the attention of your Lordship to the important fact that more than two-thirds of the immoral houses holding the Government licenses are frequented solely by Chinese and inhabited solely by Chinese women, owing to the instinctive horror which these poor women have to the radical examination to which they are by the Ordinance subjected - a horror which is also shared by their fellow countrymen - the Governor of Hong Kong has ventured to disregard the law on this point, and for years only forced the prostitutes for the use of Europeans to undergo the medical inspection. This abandonment of the original intention of the Ordinance has been approved by Lord Kimberley in a letter addressed by him to the late Governor of Hong Kong, Sir John Pope Hennessey in July 1881. In that letter Lord Kimberley says:
"Upon the second question the medical inspections of women looking to the practice in the past and to the recommendations of yourself and of the three commissioners on this head, I concur in thinking that the inmates of houses for the sole use of the Chinese may be exempted from all liability to medical inspection."
We cannot disguise the painful impression which is created by maintaining this obnoxious system in Hong Kong and raising a revenue upon the professed plea of counteracting disease, while abandoning in a large majority the medical inspection which has over and over again been declared to be the keystone of every such system.
As a proof that periodical medical inspection is unable to effect diminution of disease, we will draw your Lordship's attention to the report of the Commission appointed by Sir John Pope Hennessey in 1878 to investigate the working and results of the system in Hong Kong. That Report says: "That licensed brothels for foreigners (i.e., the houses where the periodical medical inspection is enforced) are in themselves sources of infection and that the evidence before us points to these establishments rather than unlicensed houses, as the causes of disease to soldiers and sailors." The Report further states "that there is no sufficient evidence to show that the ...
743
of
men and women to the low. By those Ack womens are liable to be called upon to prove themselves inn of an undefined offence on the uncorroborated charge of a potiveman drawing an inference on to character from fact he need not give in evidence, and which may in no wise justify bio suspicions; such women, being further deprived of the right to trial by Jerry accorded to shoe accused of the worst of crimes, while the accusers, however unworthy, are virtually secured)
against arry kind of punishment or disgrace or liability to make amends.
Four Memorialists, however, devire to lay before your Kordship the following considerations bearing more especially upon the system of licensed prostitution which has been enacted and enforced in Hong Kong under the pavetion of your Lordship's predecessors in office since the
alteration in that system
year
7857
to
Arrere
or improvement in it actministration can in the lect disarm our opposition to its existence, which we bax upon the principle that what is morally urong cannot be politically right, any more then it can ultimately be beneficial as a vanitary measure.
The Contagious Diseases Ordinance in that Colony provides for the issue of licenses on payment of four dollar per month to the Colonial Treasury, to carry on with the Joanchion of law the vile traffic of prostitution. - The
houver there licenced by our Fovernment are
Jovernment are forced to distinguish themselves by lampe of a well understood) character placed outside their doors.
to our
This outrage upon public decency has been a scandal)
professed Christianity, and a bar to the success of those! who endeavour to make the Gospel known to the Chinese. We
however, that there are some in the Adminishalive
CAVORE
Departments of the Government, as well as in our.
ine Legislative, who consider that religions and moral considerations, mut give way before questions affecting the health of her & Rajeshy's || military and praval verview ... But we know that, as a matte of fact, the original object of these systems were professedly tit better prevention of "Contagious Diseases" (see precumble Hong Kong Ordinance).
We however beg to call the attention of your
of the
Lordship
to the important fact that more than Aveo thirds of ther immora housed holding the Government licenses an
Kong frequested solely by Chrise and inhabited solely by Chinese) women, beving to the instinctive horror which these poor radical examination to which they are by thet Orderiance subpict- a horror which se also shared by their follow Countrymon - the Governor of Hong Kong has ventured to disregard the law on this point, and for years only forced the prostitutes for the use of Europeans to underge the medical ispochèn – This abandonment of the original intention
of the Ordinance has been approved by Ford Kimberley a litter addooved by him to the late Governor of "Hong Kang, Sir John Pope Hennessey in July 1881. In that letter Ford Rumberley says:
.
has
"Upon the second question the snedical inspections of women lookisig
looking to the practies in the past and to the Freeommendations of yourself and of the shree bominissioncra on this head, I concur in thinking that the inmaks " of houses for the sole use of the Chinese may be exempted from all liability to medical inspection??
We cannd disguise she painful impression which is created by maintaining this obnoxious septem in Hong Hong and raising a revenue upon the professed plea of counteracting disease, while abandoningina large majority of the medical inspection which has
COLDEA
over and over a
any
again been declared to be the keystone of every such septem.
As a proof this periodical medical inspection is cenable to effect diminution of disease, we will drawszour/ Lordship's attention to the report of the Commission appointed by Sir John stope Hennessey in 1878 to investigate the working and results of the syskem in Hong Kong : That Report says: "That licensed broshule for foreigners (ie the houses where the periodical medical inspection is enforced) "are in themselves sources of infection and that the evidence before 100 points to these establishments gathur thean to unticonged houses, as the causes of disianto soldiers and sailors – The Report further states "that there is no sufficient evidence to show that the
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