Sessional_Paper_1935 — Page 227

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

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The Committee should be of a composition which would command the respect and confidence of the British Government and the British Public.

(5) The Official Guardian should be able to enforce his rights as guardian in a summary way, either in the Supreme Court, or before a Magistrate.

(6) The guardianship should last until the child is twenty-one.

(7) The Official Guardian would be expected to listen to any reasonable request, information or suggestion made to him; but any legal obligation to do so is to be deprecated.

(8) The Official Guardian should make full and well classified

returns.

(9) Muitsai, .e., girls bought and used as domestic servants should be secured economic wages or higher. This should be by law (to benefit unregistered girls) but the discretionary powers of the Official Guardian should not be limited.

(10) An effort should be made to provide every ward of the Official Guardian with a Savings Bank Account and, if possible, the manager of the department should have the qualities necessary to achieve personal and friendly relations with the children.

(11) In suitable cases the Official Guardian should co-operate with the charitable organisations in the Colony to assist the reunion of families divided by hardship or great financial stress, but no public moneys should be spent by the Government in redeeming children.

(12) The Hong Kong Government should aid the movement towards the equality of Chinese women by every legitimate means. The University, the schools and the hospitals should be asked to co- operate.

(13) The true Muitsai System is a protection against and not a pathway to prostitution.

(14) The prevention of the sale of girls for prostitution is a distinct problem. The Muitsai System is not used for recruiting pros- titutes.

(15) There is no evidence of slavery among Chinese males.

(16) Even if it is necessary to increase the inspectorate of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs, the moneys needed for this purpose would be employed to better effect in welfare work among the poorer children.

(17) Welfare work would be assisted if moneys expended thereon were exempted from Military Contributions.

(18) If the Committee is correct in assuming that the aim of both the local and British Governments is to protect all girls whose parents have parted with them, it follows that the Hong Kong Government should take steps to ensure that each of these children is in safe and suitable custody. The Committee also hold the view that the Hong Kong Government should encourage the registration of each transfer before it is made, and should frown upon the parents who make transfers in Hong Kong without first consulting the Secretary for Chinese Affairs or other official guardian. The Committee are of the

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