CO129-469 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [9-12] — Page 244

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domestic servants, in exchange for money payments to the perents or guardiens. The system seems inevitable in the conditions obtaining in South China, on account of the extreme poverty of a large proportion of the population

The alternative to and their "procreative recklessness". disposing of the children in this way would in many cases

be starvation or sale for imporal purposes.

The children who become mui-tsal have probably

at least as good a chance in life as if they had remained with their parents: in many cases their position is distinctly improved. When they become of suitable age

The they are free to marry or to fend for themselves. system is not free from abuses; cases of cruelty to mui- tsal, when discovered, are dealt with by the Magistrate under the law, Ordinance No. 9 of 1913 being of use in this connection. Legislative action to abolish this custom, prevalent throughout South Chine, would be in-

but it effective even if it were proved to be desirable;

is hoped that the abuses attendant on it are being gradually eliminated by the education of Chinese public opinion, and by the influence of such bodies as the Committee of Po Leung Kuk to which institution reference

has already been made.

It will be seen that the mui-tasi system has no

direct connection with the procuring of children for immoral purposes, though it is of course true that fraffickers purchase children ostensibly as mut-teai though in reality with the intention of disposing of them for purposes of prostitution. When discovered cases of this nature are dealt with under the laws already quoted.

List of Ordinances referred to above copies of

which