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not create it in so short a space, as it would involve the building of some institution or institutions to provide for them. The Societies, as will be seen, have considered that the only practicable course was gradual extinction of the system. I have, however, suggested a third course which seems to me to afford a solution of the difficulty.
3.
In the telegram to which I have already referred I expressed fears as to the results of the proclama- tion which you desired me to issue, thinking that it would have the effect of causing a great number of girls to leave
their employers and to fall into bad hands.
I am happy to be able to state that my
anticipations have been entirely falsified,
No applications have been received from girls
desiring to leave their employers.
This fact, I would observe, tends to
corroborate the view held by most persons who have any real
knowledge of Chinese life that the vast majority of these
girls are contented with their position and to disprove the exaggerated stories of wide spread cruelty, to which so much
prominence has been given in England,
In these circumstances it appears fairly
certain that the number of girls who will not be willing to
remain with their present employers on the basis of paid servants will be very small indeed and that consequently it will not be necessary for the Goverment to devise any elaborate measures for providing for "liberated slaves".
4.
3.2-
In your telegram of 4th April you raise the question of taking measures to prevent mui-tsai from being removed from the Colony against their wishes and contrary to
their interests.
Until a system of registration is established
under which it would be possible to call upon the employer
to
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