172 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 18TH FEBRUARY, 1880.
We have a system in our office of insisting on the personal attendance of the woman herself when she applies to have her name placed on the list of any brothels, and if the Inspectors have any reas to suppose that the woman is unduly influenced, she is brought before me, and I make personal enqui ries and decide whether her name shall be put on the list or not.
The whole thing is carried on just outside my office door, one of the Inspectors speaking Chinese, and they have an Interpreter.
Many of the women, and it is a frequent occurrence, contract a debt with the brothel keepers, and then work it off. Brothel keepers are in that way money lenders.
I think that eight out of every ten of the women come from Canton, and the rest from Macao and other places. They are either bought or engaged at those places.
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All the inmates in the brothels know that they are free, but the national custoin is very strong against their leaving them in debt. I think it is useless to try and deal with the question of the freedom of Chinese prostitutes by law or by any Government regulation. From all the surroundings, the thing is impracticable.
EXTRACTS FROM MINUTES OF EVIDENCE AND DECISIONS OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, AS PRINTED IN 1879, PP. 91-97 OF COMMISSION ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ORDINANCE.
Complainant: John Petersen.
15th March, 1870.
Defendants: TSING-MUI 41, LO-CHI-KWONG 24, CHAN-A-I 28, Keepers of Brothel No. 122.
JOHN PETERSEN sworn and examined:-To-day, at 2 P.M., I went to brothel No. 122, Caine Road, and found therein the three women now in Court. From information which I have received, I believe that they were brought by the Defendants from Macao, and sold into that brothel.
I apply for a remand, as there were six girls brought over. Remanded to Friday, 18th March, 1870.
Bail, two sureties, in $50 each, for each Defendant.
CECIL C. SMITH, Registrar General.
18th March, 1870.
The Defendants in Court.
Mr. SHARP appears for Defendants.
Lo Kwai declared:-I am a maid-servant. The 1st Defendant is my foster-mother. She has reared me since I was three or four years of age. I was brought over to Hongkong by the 1st Defend ant from Macao a few days ago. There were six of us in the party, including myself. We took a house on the Praya, where an old woman invited us to dinner. We, that is to say, my two sisters and my mother, went together. We went to the house where the Inspector found us. I do not know that that was a brothel. After dinner, the 1st Defendant went to her sister, where there was a bridal feast. We remained in the house a day or two. We were locked up in a room, and at meal times our meals were brought in to us. The 3rd Defendant was in that house. She was the woman who invited 1st Defendant to her house. She asked the 1st Defendant to leave us in her house. I saw her the day or two I was in the house. She asked me to follow her, and asked me if I was willing to become a prostitute. I declined, and said I wanted to go away with my mother. I remained in that house until the Inspector came. I did not ask to get away, but I said that I wanted to join my She said my mother is not here, to whom are you going? The two other girls are with me. nothing about money in the case. I was brought to Hongkong to be present at a feast to carry the things. I now want to join my foster-mother.
mother.
I heard
By Mr. SHARP:--I always accompany my foster-mother when she goes out.
I first saw the 3rd Defendant in her house. She it was who invited my foster-mother to dinner. With my two sisters, I was passing the 3rd Defendant's house, when she invited us to dinner. That evening we went to the house. We were all together. The 3rd Defendant pressed us to stay. My foster-mother did not come back until I was brought up here. The 2nd Defendant is my brother. He never came to the house. My foster-mother never asked me to be a prostitute. I want to go back with my foster-mother.
By the Court:-I am 18 years of age. My master, now in Court, did not come with us.
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