CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 540

Confidential.

My Lord,

537

February 28th, 1921.

In accordance with the instructions contained

in Your Lordship's despatch No.505, Confidential, of 10th Septem

ber last, I have the honour to report as follows on Chinese

custom in relation to *mui taai" or slave girla.

The answer. to the questions asked in the Colonia)

L

office despatch of September 3rd to the Foreign office that the

i

practice of purchasing human beinge is illegal in China but that

it persists.

The buying and selling of human beings has con-

stituted a technical branch of the law for many hundreds of

years. In spite of this lawa and legal pronouncementa issued

under the Manchu dynasty contained many provisions which recog—

nized the practice, even providing, for instruce, in the cɛaS

Kueichow province an official method of registering such acta

The practice was a common one and eren

of purchase and sale.

Right Honourable,

The Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G., Q.c.8.1.

etc.

etc.,

etc.,

Poreign

office.

now/

Page 540Page 541

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MORRI

1967