CO129-522-6 Mui Tsai System 13-12-1929 - 31-12-1930 — Page 9

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to the Government certain information from time

to time which will enable the Government to

afford the girls the protection stipulated by

law.

The suggestion that because existing

Mui-tsai continue to be called Mui-tsai, the

law does not in fact alter their status, or

effect the abolition of the system, seems to me

quite untenable. In the first place, the

law provides that no person may hereafter take

into his employment any Mui-tsai, or bring

into the Colony any new Mui-tsai. In the

second place it so alters the conditions of the

employment of existing Mui-tsai that it does

in effect abolish the status of the Mui-tsai

as understood in China and as condemned by

public opinion.

To the threat of non-cooperation on

the part of the Chinese, it seems to me necessary

that the Secretary of State should return a

firm answer. It is possible that such action

would once and for all, settle the trouble and

that those employers who were unable to or unwilling

unwilling, to rid themselves of their embarrassi ng

Mui-tsai would comply with the law, register them,

and keep them until such time as they were

married or found other employment.

I suggest that when the new Governor is

selected, an opportunity should be taken, if

circumstances allow, of informing him at the

Colonial