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sold to a man as his concubine.
She was handed back to the mother to arrange for her marriage. The mother came down and took the girl away. She came from the coun- try. We really had nothing whatever to do with the girl.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-What happened to the girl?
Honourable Ho KAI.-She was married as a concubine.
Honourable C. P. CHATER.-Are there many cases like that?
Honourable Ho KAI.-The account given by the Chairman is correct, but what induced the Pó Léung Kuk, in the first instance, to approach Dr. STEWART was that they experienced considerable difficulty in getting rid of those girls who had been prostitutes. A large number of the Chinese, in fact practically the whole of the Chinese Community, do not care to take a second-hand girl, as you may call her, as first wife. It is a kind of article of faith with them.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-Then as regards these girls who have formerly been prostitutes, is there any difficulty placed in the way of their being made concubines? Mr. Ho Fook.--The Registrar General does not sanction it, and therefore they cannot do it.
Honourable C. P. CHATER.-The Registrar General tells us that he insists that there is a clause in the bond that the girls should be married as first wives. Dr. Ho KAI tells us that they do get married as concubines.
The CHAIRMAN.--Do you know, Dr. Ho KAI, whether the girl was married under the auspices of the Society?
Honourable Ho KAI.-I do not say under the auspices of the Society. When they are handed back I know that sometimes they have been married as concubines and not as first wives.
Honourable C. P. CHATER. You say that it is almost compulsory that the first wife should be a respectable woman.?
Honourable Ho KAL.-Certainly.
Honourable C. P. CHATER.--Then all these bonds given to the Registrar General have been violated?
Honourable Ho KAI-I don't know that, I don't know whether the bonds have been violated in any way. The Registrar General explained in this particular case that I mention that he had taken no bond. I can mention one or two cases.
One case
I know where a Committee man's brother took a girl out and she became his con- cubine. I think that it was during the present Registrar General's absence.
The CHAIRMAN.—That does not matter whether I was absent or not as long as it
was done in connection with the Pó Leung Kuk.
Honourable Ho KAI.--I have witnesses to prove that it was done.
The CHAIRMAN. I should like to know about it.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD (to witness).-Do you know anything about this?
A.-No, I do not.
Q.-Or any similar case
?
A.-No I don't. There has been a good deal of talk that some of the bonds were violated in some way or another.
Honourable Ho KAI.-Understand me. I don't mean to say that it was in con- nection with the Registrar General, but when the Registrar General has let them go outside, I know of cases in which they were married as concubines.
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