CO129-573-12 Mui Tsai system and alleged slave markets 23-6-1938 - 7-1-1939 — Page 13

53929/38

No. 895

Sir,

22 DEC 1938 0. U. REGI

2113

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

8th December, 1938

15

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt

of your despatch No. 382 of 4th November, 1938, on the

subject of a raid on certain premises in connection with

alleged trafficking.

2.

I enclose a copy of Miss Harrop's original

report on this case. The full facts were presented to

the Attorney General whose advice is on record to the

following effect:-

"There is no means of proving that the

documents actually relate to sales nor

of showing what the money was for. The

application for a warrant under section

4 of Ordinance 39 of 1935 is in order."

Proceedings for deportation under that Ordinance were

accordingly taken, and on the advice of my Executive

Council I authorized on 12th April, 1938, the deportation

for ten years of each of the two women Yip Lin and Yip

Yau.

3.

The girls discovered were, where this was

possible, restored to their parents and in other cases

placed in various institutions.

4.

I am satisfied that if similar centres existed

in this Colony they could not remain undiscovered as trafficking in children is held in proper abhorrence

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&C.,

&C.

1