CO129-485 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1924 [8-12] — Page 137

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Hon. Secretary for Chinese Affairs,

I attach a comparative table. It is not quite

complete but is I think sufficient for the purpose.

It would be extremely difficult to get exact

particulars of brothels opened or closed during any one

year.

In considering the figures for the various years

it should be remembered that brothel consists of a house or part of a house (or in some cases eran two houses) managed by the same mistress. It is therefore quite possible for the same house to be entered as one brothel one year and

three the next or vice versa. Miner variations in the

figures can be accounted for in this way. Frequently also

in the past houses have been closed for various reasons and

reopened under another name,

In 1920 a number of new houses were built in

Spring Garden Lane and opened as brothels. This accounts

for an increase of 8 Chinese brothels for Europeans between

1919 and 1921. This increase is set off by a corresponding

decrease since that date in the number of Japanese prostitu-

tem. About the same time some eighty brothels in Yi Yick

Lane Kennedy Town and Woosung Street were closed down and

about half that number opened in Water Street and elsewhere.

On account of the growth of Kowloon twenty new houses were opened in Yaumati in 1915. In other districts although the number of registered houses increased there was in fact a decrease in the number of inmates. The growth of the population and particularly in recent years the state of affairs in Canton is sufficient to account for the

increase in numbers since that date.

With regard to the second question I do not know

of any requests from householders that any registered

brothel should be closed.

(8d.) R. A. C. North,

30th August, 1924.