57
2
THE SLAVE MARKET NEWS.
APRIL, 1933.
before her birth in some cases, and her new guardian usually has some end in view in acquiring her. I fear that in many cases this is her use as a wageless servant or later as a possible concubine, or as the source of a fair-sized dowry when she has attained a suitable age or marriage."
He ends by quoting Command Paper 3424 to show conclusively the necessity of registering "adopted daughters" and girls obtained under similar types of transactions.
And now to turn again to Hong Kong-
As has been frequently pointed out, the registration in that Colony only includes acknowledged Mui Tsai, and the sale and purchase of girls for so-called "adoption" continues and is in fact legalised by the Ordinance quoted in this letter, and such transac- tions are neither registered nor controlled.
In view of the honest official exposure in the speech of the Acting Secretary for Chinese Affairs in the Straits, I submit that similar comprehensive measures should be taken in Hong Kong.
The present Cabinet and Government contains a particularly large number of those who have condemned publicly and in the House of Commons the inadequate steps so far taken in Hong Kong to deal with the whole Mui Tsai and kindred systems.
My submission is that the strength of opinion now available should be used to insist upon the systems in Hong Kong being dealt with at least as comprehensively as those contemplated by the Straits Ordinance.
No. 92612/32
Sir,
I beg to remain.
Sir,
Your obedient servant.
H. L. HASLEWOOD.
Lieut. Commander R.N. (Retd.).
Downing Street,
6th April. 1932.
I am directed by Secretary Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th March regarding the Mui Tsai system and the adoption of girls in Hong Kong, and to inform you that your representations on the subject have been fully considered,
I am,
Sir.
Your obedient servant.
J. A. CALDER.
LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER H. L. HASLEWOOD,
COPY OF A DEED OF PRESENTATION OR ADOPTION.
{TRANSLATED.)
This Presentation Note was made by A-Y-S. and his wife C-S. Not being able to take care of their own daughter owing to high cost of living. they are willing to present her to someone. At first their relatives were asked to take her, but none could or would do so. Then A-Y-L-, a go-between, introduced her to C-Y-L, who agreed to adopt her as a fostered daughter, and he further agreed to reimburse to the parents of the girl a sum of 95 dollars, being cost of ginger and vinegar (maintenance expenses). It was arranged and agreed by the three parties, and full payment of the sum of 95 dollars was made on this day to deliver of the child to C-Y-L.
After the child has been handed over to the C--- Family, CY-L- will take good care of her, and when she comes of age she will be married by order of C-Y-L and at the same time her parents will be informed of her marriage so that they may have the right of visit thereafter.
In case of any misfortune befallen the girl. it is Heaven's decree.
Lest words of mouth should not be sufficient. this Presentation Note is given to C-Y-L as proof.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. February 22nd, 1933.
HONG KONG (MUI TSAI SYSTEM;.
Mr. LUNN (Lab., Rothwell) asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of Mui Tsai in Hong Kong now and what was the number at the end of 1932; if he will inquire into the possibility that young girls are imported as adopted daughters and other designations to evade the law: whether registration and inspection is carried out. and how many inspectors are engaged in the work; and when it is intended that the system shall be abolished.
Sir PHILIP CUNLIFFE-LISTER: As I informed the House in July last, the Mui Tsai system has been abolished in Hong Kong. The number of former Mui Tsai who remained on the register on November 30th, 1931, was 3,810, and on November 30, 1932, was 3.017. Their status is now that of free paid domestic workers. Registration ceased in 1930, and since that date it has been illegal to employ girls as Mui Tsai. Efficient inspection is carried out by three inspectors.
Mr. LUNN: Is the right hon. Gentleman quite sure that Mui Tsai are not being imported into Hong Kong probably under other designations than Mu Tsai?
Sir P. CUNLIFFE LISTER: I think that the system is really very satisfactory to-day, and from all accounts inspection is working very satisfactorily.
Mr. LUNN: When does the right hon. Gentlenan imagine we shall come to an end of this kind of slavery in Hong Kong: and what part are the British Government going to take in the centenary celebrations this year of the abolition of slavery under the British flag?
Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER: We have already anticipated it by abolishing the system of Mui Tsai.
THANK YOU, MR. LUNN.
We need to be very grateful to Mr. Lunn for again raising the question in the House.
Mr. Lunn has taken a thorough and sympathetic interest in the fate of the Mui Tsai, and he is not likely to be misled by the complacent answers given.
Those of us who feel concern at the lines on which the "Celebrations " are being conducted for the "Centenary of the
Abolition of Slavery in British Possessions" will velcome the pointed question he has asked in this connection.
We hear a maximum of information concerning slavery in other countries and a minimum concerning conditions of slavery in our own possessions at the present day.
One is thankful to know, however, that various Women's Societies are with real vigour and with real vision drawing marked attention to the condition of women and childrer in British Possessions including the Mui Tsai in Hong Kong.
A
APRIL, 1933.
THE SLAVE MARKET NEWS.
MORE ABOUT THE HOME FOR ABANDONED CHILD-SLAVES.
by
MRS. M. M. DYMOND (of Yunnan-Fu, China).
We have for long heard that a declara- tion of the rights of the Chinese children similar to that of the League of Nations
was being prepared. "That slaves were to be emancipated," "that to buy or sell a child was to become a criminal offence." "that as is the acorn, so will be the oak, and no country is greater than its child-
ren.
F.
In another paper we read. "The Minis- try of the Interior requires now the regis tration of all philanthropic institutions. It is only a question of a comparatively short time now, that such children's asy- lums where the mortality is 100 per cent. will be eliminated by Government action.
A study is being made of all the chil- dren's homes throughout the Empire. Furthermore the Association aims to lay before the public the work and needs of children's homes, orphanages and
asy.
Jums."
The result of proclamations similar to these was the travesty of a rescue home. for abandoned and runaway slave girls. set up by the Government, some 12 years ago. The dreadful conditions of this place so distressed all who visited it, that the outcome has been a home under foreign and Christian supervision, which helps the Chinese to see what might be done for this numerous and most pitiable class of slave girls.
In 1923. in the former Home established by the Government, all the girls were given freedom, 67 of them, and foreign friends were asked to take over the supervision of the Home. More than half the girls had suffered terrible beatings; some had દ finger cut of; some had more than one cut off some an ear cut off, and others an eye gouged out; many were dying of star- vation: there was such misery, no West- erner could imagine. The Governor sent 169 pieces of cloth, furniture, and white- washed the Home throughout, and all seemed well, but the girls were still sold,
and the money they were sold for, pro- ided food. They said, "We have not any her money; it is all eaten before it in reach us.” That Governor died, and other who upholds slavery is in power. has estates worked by a slave tribe. is not Chinese, but one of the Noci le, the blue bloods of Yunnan, for only fifth of the population of Yunnan is hese;
he is in office because of his nary skill, and does not look favour- aupon any progressive movement to
a higher civilisation, 'This New Yin one large city the officials tore d4the idols and destroyed them, and the verament also is making a vigorous atty to put down slavery. There are
Wi
nev
ny consistently kind heathen, be cauhe supernatural motives are lack- ingy have no contact with God, no divileal possesses their minds.
we
The Secretary, writing about the Home, says, "There are so many difficulties be- cause so many of the girls are dul: have tried and tried again, with tearing towels and stockings, but the girls wasted so much thread it was too expensive. Then the teachers we had stole the thread, and the best of the made articles. We stopped it all for a time: the machines are all safe, and we now have hopes of starting again. We find cross stitch embroidery pays well, but the machine made articles were made so badly we could not compete with the factories Another thing we did was to buy a lot of unpicked Kapok down. and then we sold it for a good price. The rest of the girls make their clothes and their shoes. All are not stupid concerning spiritual things: one girl came in like a scared animal: she is now partly paralysed and can do very little, but there is some- thing touching about the way she grasps any spiritual lesson and teaching, and her bright answers, and she is not the only "People who have slaves must now pay them as servants. the Government says; this law will be put in force at once. and so. no doubt many will abandon these poor scraps of humanity rather then be put to extra expense over them. A much larger Home is being contemplated, and arrangements are being made for Its being efficiently carried out."
one.
The Chinese are becoming alive to the necessity of ridding themselves of this dreadful evil. The war so far has hardly affected the South of China. for North and South are often antagonistic te another. In the South the brigands have been quite cleared off some of the roads. and the Government is urging leform along many ways.
one
The two greatest hindrances to the abol- ition of slavery are opium smokhg and foot binding: these two curses still persist in the interior. while women smoke opium and suffer from the crippling of bound feet, the slave will always be looke) upon as a necessity, and be the helpless victim of shocking cruelties at the hands of women little less than friends when the craving is on them. The abolition of sia- very chiefly rests with the womanhood of China.
A prominent Chinese women, writing. says, "Women have always had an infly. ence in the affairs of China, but mostly behind the curtains. Chinese men have a natural respect and belief in women, spite of social customs. In China question is more one of changing customs tan changing attitudes of mind."
in
the
Chinese are slowly coming to understand that the welfare of the children is of para- mount importance, and that slavery and the selling of women and girls can never be justified or tolerated; it is a denial of humanity.
The churches of China and fissions, should make a firm stand against slavery, instead of being apathetic. With faith in the world's Emancipator and Saviour, vic- tory would soon be accomplished; there is nothing too hard or impossible with God. but there is often defeat with Goternment and International effort only.
Sir,
CORRESPONDENC
Yunnan.
Southcroft.
Henleaze.
Bristol Feb. 8th. 1
Enclosed is the copy of a letter I receiv yesterday. It seems a very beautiful a touching incident, that 24 little girls. some of them living below the poverty line, should become "thrilled " enough to make an effort to support a little slave girl themselves, a tribute to the value of your paper, and a great encouragement to work on. God is in it all.
Yours sincerely,
M. M. DYMOND.
(Copy of Letter.)
Telephone: East, 1200.
The Children's House.
Eagling Road.
Bow, E.3.. 6th February, 1933. Dear Mrs. Dymond,
I do not know whether you may know of us through Mrs, Haslewood, but my little girls down here have taken a very great interest in the Mui Tsai. When we saw the account in the "Slave Market News." with the picture of the little girls in the home, and the statement that 5'- a month served to support such a child, they de- cided they would like to raise a weekly offering to be able to support one. The first 5 will be in by next week. They are East End children, and many of them are living far below poverty line, so it is a big thing for them to do. They are very thrilled indeed about it, and are very keen to know if they can know the name of the little girl and make her gifts.
I wrote to Mrs. Haslewood about it. as she was down, and met our children, and set them afire over the whole thing, but she told me that it was you with whom I ought to get into communication over this matter. They are the girls of our inter. mediate department, 11 to 14 year olds about 24 of them. I enclose one of our booklets which will give you an idea of who and what we are. We shall be very grateful if you can so arrange things that we have a little girl of our own for whom we can feel responsible.
Believe me,
Yours very sincerely,
DORIS LESTER.
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