CO129-516-7 The Mui-Tsai question- resolutions from individuals and Societies 5-5-1929 - 26-10-1929 — Page 91

OPY

(F 2157/671/10)

sir,

8 Bennett Street,

Bath.

30th April, 1929.

944

You may remember making a statement to the House of

Commons on May 29th, 1922, with reference to the action

taken by my husband, Lieut. Commander Haslewood, and myself

on the question of Child Slavery in the British Crown

Colony of Hong Kong.

As a result of this motion, the system, known as the

kui Taai system, was, after two years of denial, finally

admitted by His Majesty's Government to be slavery,

contrary to British law, and Mr. Churchill gave a solemn

promise to the House on the 21st March to abolish it

"within a year".

This promise has never been fulfilled. The Ordinance of

1923 has been a dead letter for the representatives of the

Home Government in the Colony have not even attempted to

put it into action, the various exouses given being as

follows:-

1.

That it is "difficult" to carry out.

2.

That there is not enough evidence of cruelty to the victims of this system to make it necessary.

3.

That it would cost too much money.

4. That it would be hard to distinguish between Mui

Tsai purchase and Child Adoption.

5.

That it saves girl children from death by drowning and from starvation.

6.

That unless China takes the lead, Hong Kong can do nothing.

There is not one of these excuses that will hold water from

To the Rt. Hon. Austen Chamberlain.

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