[
    {
        "id": 211369,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1988",
        "page_number": 85,
        "title": "RAS-1988",
        "content_text": "61\n\nHe testified that he, himself, had been in the Colony for twenty-eight years and had come into contact with Chinese of all grades and occupations. His admiration for them increased daily. The object of his efforts was “to encourage Europeans and Chinese to work together until this became an ideal Colony, and an example to the rest of the world”. This statement was greeted with applause from most present. The resolution was then put to the meeting and was passed, though there were a few dissenting votes.\n\nAppointment of commission\n\nWith increasing pressure both in Hong Kong and Britain, the Government appointed a Commission of Inquiry on Child Labour in March 1921. The Chairman was the Honourable S. B. C. Ross. Two Chinese were appointed, the Honourable Mr. Chow Shouson, a member of the Legislative Council, Hong Kong-born but a retired Chinese Government official who had extensive business interests in Hong Kong, and Mr. Li Ping, a wealthy Hakka contractor who had extensive property interests, especially in Sham Shui Po. Two missionaries of long experience were named to the Committee, Miss A. M. Pitts of the Church Missionary Society and the Rev. R. H. Wells of the London Missionary Society. The remaining member was a medical doctor, C. W. McKenny.\n\nMiss Pitts' speech 27 October 1921\n\nMiss Pitts gave a talk on the topic at the Helena May Institute on 27 October 1921. She had expected the report of the commission would have been published at the time of her lecture, for she planned to discuss the whole of it. As it had not yet been published, she confined herself to her own personal experiences rather than a full discussion of the situation on the basis of the findings of the report.\n\nShe took a soft approach. Though she had no doubt there was an urgent need for legislation, she thought it spoke well for the managers of factories that there were not more evils than did exist. Her experience had been that when suggestions were made to the managers for improvements, these had been met with sympathetic consideration, and, in most cases, action was taken. Nonetheless, she said, “Human nature being what it is, and having regard to the desire of the people who are poor to work as long",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1988.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ft84gb83q",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211374,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1988",
        "page_number": 90,
        "title": "RAS-1988",
        "content_text": "66\n\nthe Legislative Council.\n\nThe Attorney General introduced the Bill on 21 September 1922. He sounded a cautionary warning, saying that while action was needed, we must attack a problem of this kind very carefully and slowly”, because too much interference with the existing system would cause great hardship.\n\n1\n\nAt the second reading of the bill a week later the Governor stated that the Commission on Child Labour recognised it was inevitable that the regulations on the labour of children would impose hardship on the lowest economic group in Hong Kong, but this was the lesser of two evils, for if nothing were done the harm done to children would continue. He hoped that a general improvement in industry in Hong Kong would assist in alleviating any hardship caused by the new legislation; he noted that already adults were receiving higher wages.\n\nHe assured the Legislature that the Government was committed to expanding educational facilities and was investigating provision of better accommodation for the poor, thus cutting down their housing costs.\n\nHe particularly acknowledged the contribution of Miss Pitts and the Rev. Wells to the Commission's Report. He expected that the passing of the Ordinance would put a seal, as it were, on their work here in connection with the Chinese”.\n\nHe viewed the Bill as the beginning of a proper recognition of the *rights of both women and children in the industrial life of the Colony which has so long been considered desirable but which has not hitherto been very noticeable”.\n\nSeveral Unofficial Members spoke. The Senior Chinese member, the Honourable Mr. Chow Shouson spoke first. He said that he and his Chinese colleagues were in sympathy with the Bill, nevertheless they felt it should be noted that in their opinion if the Bill were passed as it then stood some poor families would be deprived of a part of other earning power. There was the possibility of an increase in juvenile criminals if children, who had formerly been working, were allowed to run wild in the streets.\n\nPage 90\n\nPage 91",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1988.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/ft84gb83q",
        "rank": 0
    }
]