§ 11. Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any action is being taken by his Department to abolish the system of child adoption known as mui-tsai in Hong Kong; and can he give particulars?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)I have to refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to questions on this subject on the 4th of February last, and to the reply which I am giving to-day to a question by the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Malone). I would however, repeat that the system of child adoption so far as it involved a restraint on personal freedom has been made illegal since 1923. My right hon. Friend is engaged, in concert with the Governor, in considering means to prevent evasions of the law.
§ Mr. DAYIs it not a fact that the statement was made in this House in 1923 that mui-tsai was to be abolished altogether; and is it not also a fact that at the present time there are more cases than there were in 1923?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWith regard to the first part of the question, legislation was passed abolishing mui-tsai, but, of 603 course, it is a very difficult thing, where you have a large number of non-British subjects coming temporarily into Hong Kong from Canton and neighbouring provinces, to say whether or not they have got mui-tsai with them. It is estimated that since the Ordinance was passed 300,000 Chinese subjects have come into Hong-Kong with a proportion of mui-tsai.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman communicated with the Governor of Hong Kong to find out why the law was not being enforced, and is the House not entitled to know the reasons which were given by the Governor why this law was not enforced?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREAs far as it is practicable to enforce the law, steps are being taken to do so. It is proposed, as soon as the correspondence is complete, to lay papers, and I will give a further answer on that point.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCan we be assured that papers will be laid?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREYes. As soon as the correspondence is complete and we see what we can do, papers will be laid.
§ Mr. DAYIn view of the fact that this is very serious, can the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects to be able to lay papers or when the correspondence will be completed?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI cannot say offhand. I think probably it means collecting a certain amount of further data as to the actual facts, apart from discussion of methods of law and order.