t
288
A
3.
At the request of the Unofficial members
I have postponed the second reading of the measure until February 8th when, I understand, they will ask for a long adjournment in order that they may bring forward counter- proposals aimed at the gradual extinction of the Mui-taai
system, provision being made meanwhile for drastic
punishment in oases of cruel ty or other abuses,
4.
The position which in any case would have
been difficult enough, is made more so by the fact that the question is now being exploited for political purposes by the labour guilds. The guilds which, as become apparent at the time of the general strike last year, contain a
strong Bolshevist element derived from Canton have been
comparatively quiet since the fall of Sun Yat Sen. Now that
his party has regained the ascendency in Kwang Tung they
are again becoming very active and they have taken up this
question and come out as supporters of abolition of the
Mui-teai system in order, it seems clear, to annoy the
"bourgeoisie".
As a result, I understand that the genuine
abolitionists are beginning to reconsider their position.
Mr. Pollock informs me that he believes that he will be able
to secure the support of the Anti Mui-Tsai Society to his
proposals and one of the reasons for asking for the adjournment till February 8th was his desire to discuss
the matter fully with the Secretary of the Society who was temporarily absent.
5.
The danger of antagonizing the responsible
sections of the Chinese community by forcing through legialation to which they are strongly opposed in a matter which closely concerne their social custome and private lives appears to me so serious at this time, when events in the neighbouring provinces have once again placed the supreme power in the hands of a bitterly anti-English fanatic, that I submit that it is necessary to proceed with
the
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