CO129-539-4 Mui Tsai system 28-6-1932 - 28-11-1932 — Page 88

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3. This document was explained by Dr. Ts'o to the

District Watch Committee (of which he is a member), who then after considerable discussion unanimously approved

The original is in Chinese,

Encl. No. 2. the second document enclosed.

It may

and was wholly drafted by the members of the Committee

themselves: and they are entirely responsible for the

references, including those to works in English.

be noted that the District Watch Committee is an experienced

and erudite body; every member is prominent and active

commercially and socially, in the Chinese Community, and

two members are solicitors and one a barrister, all three

qualified in England. The first draft of the document

was made by a non-legal member of the Committee.

40 This short description of the Committee is perhaps

necessary for a proper judgment of the weight to be given to

their opinion. I was desirous of gauging the depths of

their views and made an opportunity for a personal discussion with the whole body. The views expressed are undoubtedly strong and unanimously held; and in response to a suggestion that some method of registration of adopted

daughters might reasonably be instituted, the answer of the

Committee showed clearly that they would strongly deprecate any action which might reflect on the system of adoption of daughters as generally accepted. They maintained that

action against the abuses of that system alone was called for

and that ample machinery existed in the ordinances dealing with Mui Tsai to meet the position. It was pointed out

that under Section 21 of Ordinance No.1 of 1923, as amended by Section 8 of Ordinance No. 22 of 1929, the onus of proving that a girl is not a Mui Tsai is placed on the

employer,