CO129-473 - Individuals - 1921 — Page 223

山

221

ments

be require

er the cases

ellers

through

lony.

steamer, train and junk te island itself is only some

+

20 miles from the Chinese border and 90 from Canton and the Colony's native population of (say) some 400,000 is for the most part a constant ly moving one. It is. no more possible to recognise and keep a check on the mi tsai moving to and fro than it is to recognise and

keep a check on all robbers and bad characters from the

interior.

The Colony has, with the active assistance of resident Chinese, developed its own system of detecting and dealing with abuses as far as possible: this will be

referred to below. It appears that something more is

asked for: but the only suggestion made is for some form of registration. A very slight local knowledge would

show that the practical difficulties in the way of registering all mui taai in the Colony are so great as

to render the suggestion of small value at the best: the

regulations would have to contain Sections appointing

Inspectors, (who, if not Juropeans, would have at least to be under the closest European supervision), with

large powers of entry to private houses; penalties for

breach would be necessary; and with it all we should

I

A

only at best irritate without making any real advance. Cases of abuse couldbe just as easily covered: mui taai

are young and simplo, with all the stupidity and timidity

of the most rustic inexperience, and the truth is rarely

to be got from them or through them: Bot witnesses on

their side are very rarely to be found, while the kidnapper

or procuress has little difficulty in finding support for

any story that may fit the case; relationship itself

can be claimed, with little chance of the claim being

disproved. All the evil disposed would be no worse off

tran