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COP Y.
mfidential.
Enclosure /.
Slavery in Hon kong,
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
256
His Excellency asked for some report on the cases mentioned in the last despatch from the Secretary of State. I have not got the paper with me so I am unable to quote the number of the despatch.
Case 1. This was a police case as far as I can find out and does
not seem to have been referred to this office. Perhaps the Captain Superintendent of Police could give details. Case 2. The woman Lai Leung Shi was sentenced to six weeks gaol
for
was conspiracy to defraud.
She was in fact the girl's om mother.
The girl after her mother's release wished to return to her. She was therefore handed back to her.
Case 3. The branded servant girl was taken at once out of the
possession of her mistress and was lodged in the Po Leung Kuk. Her mother was written to and came down from the interior. The girl was handed back to the
mother.
I heve not been asked for any more details but there are two points I should like to make clear.
A list of people supposed to know all about things is given by Mrs. Haslewood. No one would seriously consult persons like Mr. Copley Moyle or Mr. Cartwright or anyone on this list, in matters connected with Chinese custom. If the writer merely means that these persons know that there are "mui tsai" in the Colony, then you can add to the list every adult in the Colony who is not an idiot. If the writer means that they have any special knowledge, then this is not the case. Curiously one man who does know quite a lot, the Rev. Mr. Wells is omitted from
this list.
The other small point is contained in the letter from the
Chinese
!
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