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Ans. Following the amendment of Ordinance 1 of 1923 (See reply to Question 4 in Part I), 4,299 mui-tsai have been registered. A number of these have since. been returned to their parents or relatives. With reference to the supplementary question, 3 persons (1 male and 2 females) were convicted on 18th June, 1930, on a charge of conspiring to procure a girl under 16. The victim who had been mui- tsai to one of the defendants (S.C.A. 28 in 1 in 101/29) was handed over to her mother.
A case occurred in August 1926 in which a mui-tsai aged 14 was sold through an intermediary to the keeper of a brothel. The keeper and the intermediary were imprisoned and the victim was subsequently given in adoption through the Po Leung Kuk. Other similar cases have come to light. But generally speaking such children are not purchased as mui-tsai, and in the second case quoted it could not be shown. that the original purchaser was aware of the method of disposal of the child.
Two points may be noted in this connection. One is that the parents of a girl disposed of as a mui-tsai have by custom the right to visit her from time to time. This right is commonly exercised and an attempt by the employer to dispose of the mui-tsai as a prostitute would be likely to be detected; another is that girls who are being trained for prostitution are not as a rule employed as domestic servants for a reason sufficiently obvious. It is not always easy to decide in any particular case whether a girl is a mui-tsai or not. Not all purchased girls are mui-tsai although the term is often used loosely in the general sense of a bought girl".
14. What official supervision exists:
(a) In ports and stations for the protection of female emigrants and immigrants? (b) Over employment agencies providing employment for female abroad?
(c) Over contracts of female artists going abroad?
(d) Over places of amusement and persons employed there?
Ans. (a) See reply to Question 11.
(b) None such are known to the authorities. (c) None.
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(d) The Secretary for Chinese Affairs exercises a certain amount of supervision over restaurants frequented by singing girls and pro- stitutes. A small number of singing girls apply voluntarily for re- gistration at the Secretariat. The Secretary for Chinese Affairs also controls performances at Chinese theatres where only such com- panies may perform as are approved by him.
15. Have you appointed a central authority charged, as provided in Article 1 of the International Agreement of 1904, with the co-ordination and exchange of information with other Governments relative to the traffic in women and children, if so, when?
Need not be answered.
16. Does the central authority referred to in Detailed Question No. 15 deal exclusively with question relating to the traffic in women and children?
Ans. No. The Central Authority is the Inspector General of Police. More- over within the colony and to a certain extent without it also such questions are generally dealt with by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
17. What is the rank and number of officials working in the office of the central authority in question?
Ans. See the reply to Question 16. The personnel of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs consists of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and three assistants (members of the Cadet Service), together with an inspecting and clerical staff. Generally speaking questions connected with the protection of women and girls are dealt with by one of these assistants with the help of two police officers seconded for the purpose.
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