Sessional_Paper_1935 — Page 223

215

superiority in the girl. If the Hong Kong Government could arrange that the European in charge of this department should be capable of making friends with the girls still further benefit would flow from the scheme. There should be little difficulty in getting a suitable head of the department as the Bank officials are so trained. To find one with a knowledge of Chinese should not be impossible.

desirable.

The Committee agree that a Savings Bank Account would en- Savings Bank courage the independence of Muitsai although it is not needed for the Accounts very purpose of inculcating thrift. Later if the scheme proved a success all the known wards of the Official Guardian might be included. This would facilitate any system of registration.

Eighth Question.

EIGHTHLY :-The question of prostitution in connexion with the Muitsai system has been mentioned in paragraphs 5 (3), 6 (3), 8, 9, 10, 11 and 23 of this Memorandum. Sir Cecil Clementi in paragraph 9 of his despatch of the 16th May, 1929, to the Colonial Office referred to it at some length:

"You say

JJ

<<

he wrote, that it is constantly alleged that Mui- tsai are a regular source of recruitment for "prostitution ", and you ask whether any further safeguard against this can be introduced ". He continued as follows:-

"It is very necessary to state emphatically that the Muitsai system is not a regular source of recruitment for prostitution. The usual source of such recruitment is among poor families which, in times of distress, will sell female children to traffickers from whom they pass into the hands of women who train the children with the object of their becoming prostitutes. Muitsai are by training not suited for use as prostitutes. The sale of a girl to be a Muitsai has indeed the effect of protecting her from prostitution as her master and mistress retain her services for domestic purposes, and would guard her from the risks of ill-disposed persons. Muitsai are more closely attached to the family than hired servants, and they cannot so easily be decoyed away without enquiries being set on foot. As a rule, children who are acquired for training as prostitutes are not employed as domestic servants. They are generally taught to sing and to play Mah Jong and to act as entertainers at restaurants; and in China large numbers of these girls who are known as guitar girls may be seen frequenting restaurants where they are called to amuse customers at dinner ".

'Answer.

56

35

It will be seen from Sir George Maxwell's question that he ap- preciates the distinction between a child sold as a Muitsai, possibly to escape prostitution and a child sold for prostitution.

prostitution dealt

However, the present question has been dealt with adequately by Muitsai; the League of Nations' Commission which discussed the whole question with by League at length.

The following paragraph gives the views of that Commission (Page 40 of Commission's Report), which follows the description of a Muitsai quoted earlier in this report.

KC

However that may be, information obtained by the Commis- "sion definitely establishes the fact that the Muitsai System where it is carried out strictly in accordance with the customs above de- scribed is not to be regarded as a source of supply for prostitution, and cases of prostitutes who had been Muitsai of this kind are ex- ceedingly rare."

*

of Nations' Commission,