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ed above.
(2) The position has been sufficiently explain
(It may bementioned however that Chinese
ideals as to the treatment of their own children do not
always coincide absolutely with western ideals.)
(3) and (4) Vide under (2) above: also the following extract from a report of the Secretary for Chinese Affaire.
"Age of girls in licensed brothels
"No girl is admitted to a brothel unless the
Secretary for Chinese Affairs is satisfied she is 19 or
over, the marriageable age being 16 or 17. Doubtful cases are referred to the Committee of the Po Leung Kuk, and where any doubt still remains permission is refused. A European Inspector is employed continuously in visiting
the brothels and checking all inmates; and one of his
duties is to report at once any case of an unregistered
girl or of a girl apparently under 19 on the premises.
Even an experienced European eye has difficulty in
judging the age of Chinese, and I should imagine Lieutenant Commander Haslewood could'very easily be deceived in his glances from the street at girls thickly made up in the approved Chinese fashion. False ages of course are constantly given, but no attention is paid to the state- ments of the girls themselves. There is no necessity for "dire threats" to force girls to give false ages, as the girls are only too anxious to be passed. Hong Kong has a reputation for strict supervision and "good regulations" which appeals to them very strongly."
The penultimate paragraph of Lieutenant Commander Haslewood's letter of February 18th implies
that
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