CO129-539-3 Mui Tsai system 8-2-1932 - 10-1-1933 — Page 24

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illegal in Hong Kong for any girl to be

made a mui tsai or for any mui tsai to

be brought into the Colony from China or

(formerly

elsewhere. The girls,who were mui tsai,

(and are subject to inspection and infervision.

have been registered, They are paid

wages and are free to leave their employers,

if they wish to return to their parents

or if they are ill treated. Their

status is now in fact that of free, paid

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aomestic servants.

The cases in which prosecutions for

breach of the law regarding mui tsai have

resulted in the imposition of only a small

fine have as a rule been those in which

only a technical offence has been

committed.

in cases or ill treatment

larger penalties have been imposed and

the girls have been handed over to the

Secretariat for Chinese Affairs and have

been either returned to their parents or

accommodated in an orphanage.

There are three inspectors one

Englishman and two Chinese lady assistants

Specially