CO129-522-3 Social hygiene- including trafficking in women & children- brothels- etc. 27-2-1930 - 13-4-1931 — Page 50

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Acts were repealed in this country in deference to a

strong expression of public opinion. Whether that

opinion was well or ill-founded, judicious or the

reverse, it is unnecessary now to enquire. The fact

remains that the Acts were repealed, and that similar

laws in the Crown Colonies and India were subsequently

repealed. In 1894 the legislation in Hong Kong which provided for the registration of brothels was

also repealed. I am therefore asked, not merely to

allow certain existing laws to remain in operation, but

to take the stronger step of reviving laws which a few years since were deliberately, after much discussion,

abolished.

In justification of such a course strong

evidence has been laid before me of the growth of

disease and the prevalence of other abuses since the

Ordinances were abolished, and the opinion of

responsible men connected with Hong Kong - the men,

both official and unofficial, to whom I should naturally

look for information and guidance on local question is mainly, if not unanimously, to the effect that the result

of repealing the Ordinances has been disastrous.

recognise the fact that there has been an increase of

disease since the Ordinances were repealed, and it

may also be true that there has been an increase of

brothel slavery; but on the latter point I notice

from the reports of the Registrar-General at Hong Kong,

as well as of the Protector of Chinese in the Straits

Settlements, that there has been at least as much

I

rescue

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