Old Hong Kong-3 — Page 226

PO LEUNG KUK

my 802

The problem of the 'mui-tsai' in Hong Kong has caused more controversy in recent years, both here and at Home, than any other question relating to local affairs. Now and then, some well-meaning member of the House of Commons, suspicious that slavery is rampant in this Empire outpost, addresses questions to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and is assured that the Hong Kong authorities are doing everything in their power to stamp out the traffic in children.

The mui-tsai problem has been a sore point with successive administrators since the Colony was founded. As far as can be gathered, the first person to draw public attention to the evil practice of kidnapping and selling women and children, as if they were mere chattels, was Sir John Smale. Sir John was one-time Chief Justice of Hong Kong and on more than one occasion delivered himself forcibly from the Bench on the subject of traffic in women and children.

Following the strictures of the Chief Justice, the principal Chinese residents of the Colony, impressed by the scandalous state of affairs, memorialised the Governor, and through him the Secretary of State for the Colonies, asking permission to form an association for the purpose of suppressing this terrible crime; of protecting women and girls, and restoring those who had been kidnapped to their friends and relatives.

Permission was readily granted, and the Po Leung Kuk Society was formed. The Committee of the Tung Wah Hospital placed at the disposal of the Society a portion of their hospital for the temporary accommodation of the destitute women and girls who had been rescued or who might be rescued from the terrible fate which was intended for them.

Splendid progress was made during the early years of the Society's existence, and returns show that for the four years ended in December 1891, no less than 2,751 persons were dealt with by the Society. During the years from 1888 to the end of 1895, 5,543 persons were rescued by the Society, the majority of whom were returned to their homes or handed over to relatives.

On Saturday, January 18, 1898, His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Robinson, laid the foundation stone of a new home for destitute women and girls. The funds for the erection of this building were raised by the Committee of the Po Leung Kuk Society and the ground for the building was provided by the Trustees of the Tung Wah Hospital.

Among those present at the ceremony were the Colonial Secretary (Hon. Mr. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart), Hon. Mr. W. M. Goodman (Acting Chief Justice), Hon. Mr. E. R. Belilios, Hon. Mr. A. McConachie, Hon. Mr. J. J. Bell-Irving, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai (President of the Po Leung Kuk), Hon. Mr. A. K. Travers (Postmaster-General), Hon. W. C. H. Hastings (Acting Superintendent of Police), Hon. Major Nowell, Mr. A. Denison (architect of the building), Hon. A. F. Cooper (Director of Public Works), Admiral and Mrs. Buller, Mr. Byramjee, Dr. Wright, Dr. Chalmers, Mr. A. G. Romano (Consul for Portugal), Messrs. T. Jackson, A. B. Johnson (Crown Solicitor), Capt. Anderson, Capt. Ferguson, R.N., Messrs. C. Ford, G. C. Cox, J. J. Francis, Q.C., Lieut. J. T. Stirling, A.D.C., Mr. C. H. C. Platt (Private Secretary), and a large number of ladies.

Before laying the foundation stone, Sir William Robinson addressed the gathering and gave a resume of the history of the Society. Its work, he said, must commend itself to every honest and respectable resident of the Colony. The rules and regulations of the Society had been drawn up by that eminent Queen's Counsel, Mr. J. J. Francis, and their application had proved most successful.