184
CARL SMITH
A pirate ship had been seized and on board were found documents which implicated A-chick. In particular there was a letter in which he was thanked by "his brethren of the sea" for getting one of their number cleared of the charge of piracy by means of false interpretation in court.
In July 1851, a commission investigated the charges against A-chick together with other alleged abuses in the police court.
A-chick, however, had influential supporters. A newspaper account says that "both His Excellency the Governor and his Worship the Chief Magistrate of Police were determinedly opposed to Tong A-chick's dismissal; and although Tong A-chick applied for his discharge from public service, Mr. Hillier would not grant it to him."
The commission threatened to resign if their recommendation for dismissal was not put into effect, and as soon as Mr. Hillier, the magistrate, left the Colony, about the beginning of September 1851, A-chick was replaced.
At about the same time he became involved in a court case which reflected one of the less favourable aspects of social conditions in Hongkong.
The case involved a 16-year-old girl whose mother had been connected with a brothel. The woman needed money but had no security other than her pretty little daughter — whom she pledged to a brothel-keeper. The girl was then only nine years old but already she was singing in a brothel.
The mother subsequently died, leaving the note unpaid and her daughter in the service of the woman to whom she owed the money. The woman also served as middleman and security for getting a loan to cover the burial expenses of the girl's mother, thus further obligating the girl to her.
The brothel in which she was employed was frequented by Tong A-chick. He took a fancy to the girl and ran up a large bill with the brothel mistress.
184
CARL SMITH
A pirate ship had been seized and on board were found docu- ments which implicated A-chick. In particular there was a letter in which he was thanked by "his brethren of the sea" for getting one of their number cleared of the charge of piracy by means of false interpretation in court.
In July 1851, a commission investigated the charges against A- chick together with other alleged abuses in the police court.
A-chick, however, had influential supporters. A newspaper ac- count says that "both His Excellency the Governor and his Wor- ship the Chief Magistrate of Police were determinedly opposed to Tong A-chick's dismissal; and although Tong A-chick applied for his discharge from public service, Mr. Hillier would not grant it to him."
The commission threatened to resign if their recommendation. for dismissal was not put into effect, and as soon as Mr. Hillier, the magistrate, left the Colony, about the beginning of September 1851, A-chick was replaced.
At about the same time he became involved in a court case which reflected one of the less favourable aspects of social condi- tions in Hongkong.
The case involved a 16-year-old girl whose mother had been connected with a brothel. The woman needed money but had no security other than her pretty little daughter — whom she pledged to a brothel-keeper. The girl was then only nine years old but already she was singing in a brothel.
The mother subsequently died, leaving the note unpaid and her daughter in the service of the woman to whom she owed the mon- ey. The woman also served as middleman and security for getting a loan to cover the burial expenses of the girl's mother, thus fur- ther obligating the girl to her.
The brothel in which she was employed was frequented by Tong A-chick. He took a fancy to the girl and ran up a large bill with the brothel mistress.
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