Sessional_Paper_1929 — Page 257

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

249

-

(3) If any master who formerly kept slaves dares to threaten or oppress them in contravention of these regulations, the aggrieved party may make a complaint to the Authorities.

(4) From the date of the publication of these regulations no girls shall be bought, sold or pledged as mui-tsai, and all agreements for such purposes shall be null and void.

(5) All existing mui-tsai, at the time of the enforcement of these regulations shall no longer be called mui-tsai, but shall be called adopted daughters. All agreements or presentation deeds in respect of their purchase and sale, shall be sent to the nearest Police Station for cancellation and registration in a register specially provided for the

purpose.

(6) No adopted daughters shall be ill-treated. They shall be sent to school during the age of 12 to 16, and shall not be married later than 23, but may be allowed to remain single if they choose.

(7) No adopted daughters shall be forced to become concubines.

(8) Adequate clothing, board and lodging shall be provided for adopted daughters according to the circumstances (of their adopted parents).

(9) Each District Magistrate and Mayor should, after considering the local condi- tions, take steps to establish Poor Girls' Homes or Female Industrial Schools.

(10) After the publication of these regulations, if any person is proved by the Kai- fong or neighbours or discovered by the Police to have beaten or maltreated his adopted daughter, the Magistrate, Mayor, or Officer in charge of any Police Station concerned, shall send the girl to a Poor Girls' Home or to a Female Industrial School to be brought up. The person who ill-treated the girl shall be fined as warning. When anybody who has been fined for maltreating his adopted daughter is found to have maltreated her again, a greater fine or other punishment will be imposed.

(11) Anybody who commits any breach of Regulations 3, 4 and 7 shall be punished according to the law, and anybody who violates Regulations 2, 5, 6 and 8 shall be fined according to the offence.

(12) These regulations shall be enforced from the date of publication.

(Dated) 1st March of the 16th year of the Republic (1927).

Sir,

Enclosure 2 in No. 20.

LETTER FROM CONSUL AT AMOY TO GOVERNOR.

1st May 1929.

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter, T/S:AMP, No. 1961/ 1910, of the 24th April, enclosing a copy of extracts from an article entitled ""The Mui Tsai' question, published in the issue of the 20th April of a Canton newspaper entitled The China Truth, and enquiring whether regulations prohibiting the Muitsai system had been promulgated by the Chinese authorities in this district; and if so, what practical effect, if any, such regulations have had on the employment and treatment of Muitsai.

2. The judge of the Chinese District Court of Amoy, whose advice I have sought in this matter, informs me that no new regulations have been promulgated by the Fukien authorities prohibiting Pei nü ( the equivalent in this and other provinces of China of Muitsai (F), a term which appears to be confined to the province of Kuangtung.

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.