Sessional_Paper_1935 — Page 251

243

fa nurseries for rearing up young girls for immoral purposes. The names of the consulting Chinese Committee should be approved by the Governor. The Com- mittee would have no executive power. Their function would be purely consultive. By way of further precaution, and for the better promulgation of our law of liberty, I think there might also be erected in some of the public thoroughfares on the borders of our territory on the mainland and near some of the Chinese wharves stone tablets with inscriptions to the effect that in British territory no such thing as slavery existed, and that all transactions of purchase and sale of children were null and void. Similar tablets might be placed at the Temples and Theatres and other places of public resort. The Chinese promulgate edicts by proclamation and have engraved on stone what they want to be permanent. I would suggest also that notice boards should be put up permanently in the River Steamers pointing out that every woman and child had a right to personal freedom and that no money bargain could be valid on English soil. On the steamers plying between Canton and here, and Macao and this port, and in the passenger steamers to the Straits Settlements such notices are posted up by the Emigration Officer warning people who go before him that they are free to refuse to go on board if they wish, and that they can complain to the officers on the ships or at Singapore. A more general statement of the rights of all persons might be prepared and painted on white boards. With these precautions in addition to those now in force, and a continued vigilant care on the part of all Judicial and Executive officers to promptly attend to all cases where there is any suspicion against the liberty of the subject, the abuses arising from the system of domestic service and adoption will be all but put a stop to, whilst the views of the Chinese-who are the bulk of the population-will be met, and their customs and usages maintained, (so far as is consistent with perfect freedom of the subject) as was promised them when Hongkong was erected into a Colony and they were invited to settle here.

To Recapitulate.

35

1. It is shewn that child adoption in China and among the Chinese in Hong- kong is always accompanied by the payment of money and a deed of gift or bill of sale when the adopted are strangers-in-blood; and that even money passes in the case of relatives if the parents of the adopted child are poor or not nearly re- lated to the adopting parents.

2°. It is shewn that male children are not bought and sold as servants in Hongkong nor in the Canton province, but that female children are disposed of for money by their parents according to Chinese usage and custom, and that the Chinese authorities recognise such sales as binding if executed with due formalities, whilst Hongkong treats all such transactions as null and void, giving no rights and conferring no title.

3°. It is shewn that the abuses arising from the Chinese system of money passing in the case of adoption and domestic service are:-

1°. Kidnapping to some extent.

2°. Brothel bondage; and that female children who are voluntarily parted with by their parents for daughters and servants may be sold as prostitutes by disreputable persons.

4°. It is shewn that claims set up by Chinese to ownership on the ground of purchase have been promptly set aside in Hongkong and the claimants punished for any assault or offence committed against the person claimed-and that no op- portunity has been lost of proclaiming the freedom of the subject.

5°. It has been shewn that the laws have been amended from time to time to the utmost limit to protect women and girls and children against forced or fraudulent. emigration or sales for purposes of prostitution, (see Ordinance 2 of 1875, annexed)..