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DRAFT MEMORANDUM
Alleged Child Slavery in Hong Kong.
Notes on Lieutenant Commander Haslewood's case,
182
304/20)
Lieutenant Commander Haslewood's case is an
ingenious compound of 3 factors, which he succeeds in confusing pretty thoroughly. These are
(A) the custom of child adoption
(B) the conditions of child labour
(C) prostitution.
(A) Children of both sexes are adopted, but
no al tack has been made on the adoption of boys, which is
considered necessary for religious reasons in the absence of a male heir to landed property. The practice is
merely mentioned here to show that adoption is not con-
fined to girls.
As regards girls, the position was stated by
Colorel Amery in the House of Commons on November 4th 1920
As Lieutenant Commander Haslewood does not quote this in
full, it may be well to do so here.
"I will answer this question and that of the
Honourable Member for Spen Valley together. My attention!
was drawn before the Recess to statements of the nature
described, and enquiries have been made of the Governor as to the facts. I need hardly say that slavery does
A not exist in Hong Kong or any other British Colony. custom does exist there, as elsewhere in China, by which, in return for a money payment, girle are transferred by their parents or natural guardians to the care of another household, usually for purposes of domestic service, though the transaction is described by the Chinese as a form of adoption. The law of the blony, which is the
18W
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