October 31, 1930]
4,000 "Missing."
From the foregoing it will be noted with satisfaction the active interest taken in the mui-tsai. But this is only a first step, and there, is yet much to be done to reach the goal of complete emancipation. Why? Because, according to our original estimate, the number of mui-tsai in the Colony were about ¡8,000 or more, out of which only 4,299 have registered. What has become of the remainder ? We know that the more kindly owners have set free a goodly number possibly before the enforcement of registration, yet there must be a huge number being sent away sur- reptitiously elsewhere, while others have purposely ignored registra tion. It is the fate of the unregis- tered about which we are most anxious. This explains what I mean when I say that our work is incomplete.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE KF?ORT
tection of the Female Domestic Ordinance. Anyone following closely the reports in the local English and Chinese Press could not but take note of the punishment meted out to the stubborn cases of cruelty and flagrant breaches of the law in non- registration and in buying and
selling mui-tsai. The two outstand- ing cases which deserve more than passing notice
were:-One
was
fined $500 for buying and selling, and the other met the stern penalty of six months' imprisonment for treating a child of six in a brutal fashion. The melancholy condition of the child really horrified every- one in Court at the time. Our Chinese Secretary has dealt in detail with the number of cases re-
ported to the Society during the past twelve months, and it is un- necessary for me to dwell on that point further.
Pleasures and Perplexities.
Fear and Ignorance.
1 will, however, supplement the remarks of the two previous speak- Hitherto our propaganda work ers by acquainting you with other has been directed mainly against gratifying results and other per- the brutal owners of mui-tsai.plexities still confronting the Nothing has been done to help the Society. There yet remains much mui-tsai themselves to understand
to be accomplished. The public in their own legal position after re- the Colony and in Canton have to gistration. Many of these girls be educated and inspired anew to are so cowed by their owners that realize the social ignorance, the they have been left in total ignor- callous indifference and apathy to- ance of the primary purpose of re- wards child-welfare.
"When we gistration and therefore dare not go to the S.C.A. to register. Then, also, there must be scores and scores of mui-tsai, who though registered, are still groaning under the brutal hands of their mistress. Some- thing must be done to help these poor girls out of their fear and ignorance. This is the second reason for saying that our work is incomplete.
11
As a Chinese proverb has it:- "To conquer a city is not mightier than to captivate the heart of the people (a similar expression in English is "
Opinion is queen of the world, whilst force is only its tyrant'). This remark applies for- cibly to the present owners of mui- tsai, who must be made to realis the sufferings of the slaves in their hands. The enforcement of the law is, after all, only partially effec- tive.
The hardest task before us, there
fore, is to educate and awaken the public conscience to the wrongs done to mui-tsai, and it is hoped that the word will be soon dropped out of the Chinese vocabulary com- pletely. This is my third reason for telling you that our work for emancipating the mui-tsai is still complete.
ENGLISH SECRETARY'S
ADDRESS.
The following is the speech of the hon. English Secretary, Mr. J. D.
Bush:
wards its support For all this our he It is hoped that ther tributions forthcomin quarters to keep up an good work of this
glistening tear in child's eye " has calle
our own Society, into ex is the pressure of this force of the children's cl makes the appeal all urgent.
This Society also wishes to you, in a spirit of that considerable success ha ed the efforts to get in clos with the Social Service Bu Canton. The ready respons appeal for enforcement of
regulations in Canton is apppreciated. Similar relat with the Government in M: hoped to be achieved in 、 mediate future. Returning y work in Hong Kong again lations with the S.C.A. are lent, and most cordial co- has been established bety This arises mainly from that the officers in charge h cised the utmost patient adopted the most tolerant a ful atitude towards ca. before them.
Of course, the Society desideratum is that a rig operandi may be found i with cases concerning th
adopted daughters " ing cases of ill-treatment anonymous communication
((
tsai.
I.
lose feeling for a child's sorrow we must blush crimson in deepest shame." I may add, in passing there is sadness in the reflection that the S.P.C.A. in the Colony can be more active than the S.P.C.C.C.quiries made by the S. More often than If protection to animals can stimu- late so much interest and ardour in
these cases, however, rel informants may be, have p our midst, surely we can include in our purview the needs of a child
be fruitless. How greatly are the services of absolutely as well?
ed men whose intincts must the good of the children. W this qualification it is impossi expect the general public an interest in child-welfare use this Society by reportir children or to stay the cru to it for redressing the w.
raised against the helpless .. articulate mui-tsai.
This leads me to further consi- deration of the Child Welfare So- ciety of Hong Kong. We are heartily glad of its coming into existence during the past year. But we like to see it live up more to the ideal of being the Champion of the Child which it sets out to achieve. Instead of having just one young lady fulfilling the duty of an Inspector, there should be at least a dozen or more officers (men and women), selected and trained because of their special aptitude for the posts they have to fill. Then, also, there should be more men who are thoroughly interested in dham- pioning the cause of every child, regardless of mui-tsai or any sort of neglected child, who suffers.
There is no denying that th cases are complex and therefore quire skilful handling. Time ar again, in so far as regards thes cases, the S.C.A. have breu led t raise the question:Why don' these anonymous informants repe direct to this Office? They wor if they could, but in general, peop laying the information of cruelty! in a certain neighbourhood do not wish their names to be disclosed There is a shrinking fear-humar nature is the same all the world over-on the part of many people against giving their name and ad dress, so both
as not to run the risk of being called upon to appear in the police-court to give evidence.
We want genuine and enthusiastic supporters of child-welfare work in the Colony. So far as there is a difference between the work of the Child Welfare Society and Society at all, it is a difference in thoroughness, although have the same aims and object in view. I offer these remarks in the
We
our
spirit of friendly criticism, with- flippant and cynical. out the least intention of being
Salvation Army Work.
Looking back on the records of work of this Society, there is legitimate cause for satisfaction at what has been accomplished dur- This Society has noted with more ing the year under review. Regis- than ordinary feelings of satisfac- tration is now an accomplished tion that the Salvation Army fact, with 4,299 mui-tsai actually Women's Industrial Home, on registered and the Courts in the Prince Edward Reid, Kowloon, has Colony are active in enforcing the come into existence since we met law and bringing to justice any here last year. There are at pre- gross acts of extreme brutality. On sent thirteen girls in this Institu the whole, these neglected children tion. The Hong Kong Government are placed under more effective pro- is contributing $200 monthly te
Let me have the pleasure of bring- ing to your notie a book from the pen of Lieut.-Canmander and Mrs. H. L. Haslewod on the mui-tsai question in Hong Kong. I Qom- mend it highly o those of you who desire to have a complete record of this most complex and perplexing issue. As it is announced in th. preface of the look that
"authors' profits will be evoted to the cause of the mui-tsa?" I would like to see many of ya here take a cop' each. The bou is obtainable Messrs. Kelly & Walsh, Lid
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