CO129-551-2 Mui Tsai system 30-11-1934 - 22-11-1935 — Page 48

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letter-(see Appendix I,page 27.) The last half-yearly

report shows that during the six months ending the 31st

May last, the number of registered mui-tsai over the age

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of 18 had increased by 131 (from 285 to 416), and that during

the same period only 39 had married and only 34 had found

other employment. Under the ancient custom, the employer

was under a strong moral obligation to find a suitable

husband for his mui-tsai, when she reached a marriageable

age. Why then,in Hong Kong, are there so many unmarried

mui-tsai of marriageable age? If they are unmarriageable,

when as a matter of fact- do they cease to be mui-tsai?

The fact that out of 2,122 registered mui-tsai,

416 (nearly 20%-) are over the age of 18 years affords a

clue which may lead to a more systematic examination of

of the whole problem.

I will refer to it in a later

paragraph. In this connection, I will say that this

question of the "age limit" seems to be one of the factors

that may indicate that the problem,in its essence, bound

up with the entire system in Hong Kong of the recruitment

and employment of Chinese girls taken from their parents

at an early age for domestic service.

Second Question. My question related to mui tsai,

whose parents were dead, unknown or in places so remote

"

that "restoration was impossible. The Committee's finding

is that the law requres amendment.

Thereupon the

Committee makes a recommendation of far reaching effect.

If I understand the report correctly, the proposal is that

there should be an "Official Guardian" for every mui-tsai,

wherever her parents may be. There is the definite

recommendation that "the connection between the officer

entrusted with the suppression of the system and the officer

detailed to protect the children should be severed".

There seems to be some confusion of thought.

The need for

"parental control", which has been mentioned above, is

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