CO129-465 - Public Offices & Others - 1920 — Page 304

303

To ask the Under Secretary of State for the 13. Lieutenant-Colonel John Ward,

Colonies, whether his attention has been drawn to a Report appearing in the Hong Kong Weekly Press of 7th August last, describing the terrible tortures inflicted upon two slave girls by their owner; whether he has received any reply from the governor of Hong Kong as to the possibility of requiring all children who are bought and sold in that colony being subject to registration and visitation as some protection against ill-usage at the hands of their owners; and, if so, what action does he propose to take in this matter,

For anal refly.

Tuesday. 9th November 1970

Yes, Sir: I have read the report from which

it appears that two servant girls were brutally 111-

treated by their Chinese mistress. The Chinese

woman was duly brought to justice, and the children were removed from her custody and placed in the

Institution known as the "Place of Safety". As regards the rest of the question I would refer the honourable

and gallant member to the reply given on the 4th

November to questions by the honourable member for

Poplar South and the honourable rember for Syen Valley.

Please see memo: attached