683461-1880-Domestic-Servitude-in-Hongkong- — Page 1

Noo. 28.

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 4TH FEBRUARY 1880.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

PAPERS RELATING TO THE PURCHASE AND DETENTION OF CHILDREN, KIDNAPPING, AND SO CALLED DOMESTIC SERVITUDE IN HONGKONG.

99

The following documents have been laid before the Legislative Council by order of His Excellency the Governor.

By Cominand,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th February, 1880.

W. II. MARSIL,

Colonial Secretary.

PETITION FROM TSANG San-fat.

Umeed 70th May,

1953.

Tsang San-fat begs to report that, on the 29th day of the 8th month last year (5th October, 1877), owing to stress of poverty, he gave away his little daughter, aged six years, and named SAM A-KIN, to LEUNG A-TSIT of the MAN-wo shop, the understanding being that Lause A-TSIT should find her a husband when she grew up and should not send her away to other ports. On the 10th of this month one of petitioner's partners, A-SIN, came and said that Leung A-tsit was in a day or two going to take away the little girl to another place.

On the 12th, petitioner went to the shop and taxed him with this, and he made some excuse as to the effect that there were going to be great disturbances in Hongkong, but in reality he was simply making a plausible excuse to cover his real intention of selling the little girl.

Your petitioner therefore begs that he may be prevented from carrying his design into effect, and that Police may be sent to the Dock to arrest him.

To

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary.

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

(1) Sa, 1,2:1:1.

PETITION FRọm Leung Á-TSIT.

LEUNG A-TSIT, aged 50 years, living in the MAN-wo shop at the TAI-KOK-TSUI termed 29th May, Dock, wishes to place ou record a case in which he is likely to be cheated.

Your petitioner who is a native of Ka Ying-chau has now for a long time been doing business at fai-kok-tsui.

On the 29th day of the 8th month of the year Ting-chau (5th October, 1877), a man named Isang Sag-fat made an arrangement with your petitioner by which be, being unable to support a family handed over to him his little daughter Lam A-KIN, aged 6 years. This was done through the -trumentality of a man named Wan A-cheunG. The little girl was to become your petitioner's Aughter, and was to be brought up by him, he paying twenty three dollars to the parents for the ex- puse they had been put to in rearing their daughter. On the other hand it was arranged that when the girl grew up, the privilege of finding a husband for her should devolve entirely upon the foster pents and should not conceru in the most remote degree the actual parents. On this understanding the girl was taken to your petitioner's house, and a regular deed of transfer was drawn up,

The parent Tsaxa San-Fat is now however intriguing with a view to extorting money from your titioner, and threatens in answer to repeated remonstrances that he will find out a way of doing it. Your petitioner therefore appeals for protection against impeding calamities.

To

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary.

1

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

To the Attorney General.

The parties to these two petitions (1216 and 1233) appear to acknowledge being concerned in an illegal transaction.

J. POPE HENNESSY. 29th May, 1878.

MINUTE BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

The transactions referred to would not be recognized in our laws as giving any rights except per- 1s as to guardianship, but I am unable to say that there is anything illegal in the matter beyond tat.-l do not think it is a criminal offence if it goes no further than the adoption of a child and the joyment of money to its parents for the privilege."

31st May, 1878.

G. PHILLIPro.