CO129-514-2 Mui Tsai system- suggested regulations and possible abolition 9-1-1929 - 16-5-1929 — Page 99

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Criticism has naturally centred on the abuses

and following on the prolonged agitation by Rubane

umane Societies and persons mainly in this

country but to some extent in Hong Kong itself,

Mr. Churchill, then Secretary of State for the

Colonies, declined to defend the existence of

the custom in Hong Kong any longer and

instructed the Governor to take steps to stop it.

After correspondence with Sir R.E. Stubbs

Mr. Churchill made a statement in the House of

Commons on the 21st of March, 1922, of which a

copy is attached (appendix A). Following on

the proclamation issued in Hong Kong to all

concerned as mentioned in Mr. Churchill's

statement, an Ordinance was enacted (Ordinance 1

of 1923) copy attached (appendix B) which

contained 4 Parts.

In Part 1 there was a declaration that the

erroneous view held by certain persons, that the

payment of money to parent or guardian or

employer of a female child purporting to be in return for the transfer of certain parental

rights conferred certain rights of property in

the child as against herself or her parent or

guardian, was quite unfounded.

Part 2 prohibited any person thereafter

taking into his employment (a) any Mui Tsai,

(b) any female domestic servant under the age

except

of 10 years. Further that on the order of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs on the death of an employer, no Mui Tsai should thereafter be

transferred from one employer to another. In

the event of a Mui Tsai going into the

service