VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWNMy Lords, I rise to ask His Majesty's Government what steps they propose to take, and when, to stop the alleged child slavery in Ceylon.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS AND THE COLONIES (LORD PASSFIELD)My Lords, I am afraid my answer, which I wish to make as explanatory and full as possible, may be thought rather lengthy, but I should like to say at the outset that I do not think there is any foundation for the suggestion that any system of child slavery—anything that could pro- 787 perly be so-called—exists in Ceylon. I think the Ceylonese people, with the rarest exceptions, are not otherwise than kind and considerate to children, but I must add that there have been isolated cases of the ill-treatment of children brought before the Courts in Ceylon, as I am sorry to say isolated cases occur in this country and other countries, and these cases have served to draw attention to the traditional practice, which has long existed in well-to-do Ceylonese households, of adopting the children of poor parents and bringing these children up as companions of the children of the house or of employing them as domestic servants. These adopted children are not paid wages, but they are fed and clothed, and, I am informed, in nearly all cases well cared for.
I do not know that in former days there was anything to be said against the custom, but it does seem to have been extended in modern times, and to be now used as a means of obtaining domestic servants without paying wages by Ceylonese of all classes. Some of them have little idea of the obligations imposed on an employer to treat his dependants properly. In view of the cases of cruelty and ill-treatment which have recently come before the Courts a Bill for the protection of children employed as domestic servants has been prepared and will be introduced into the Legislative Council. I should like to say that the Bill is a spontaneous measure by the Ceylon Government, not one instigated from the Colonial Office, although, of course, very welcome to the Colonial Office. That Bill provides for the registration before a police magistrate of all agreements made between the parents or guardians of the child and would-be employer. It requires the employer to provide proper food and medical attendance and prohibits overwork, ill-treatment and improper punishment. It further provides for the supervision of these cases of adoption by a probation officer or by the Police to ensure compliance with the provisions of the law.
What is possibly even more satisfactory is that a Child Protection Society has also recently been formed in Colombo, and it is hoped that the efforts of the society will assist in the effective enforcement of the new legislation and in the creation of a right 788 public opinion on this subject. Your Lordships will remember how very valuable in this country has been the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in securing the enforcement of the law against cruelty to children. It will be recognised that it is impossible, apart from the pressure of public opinion, altogether to prevent the occurrence of isolated cases of cruelty to dependants in the privacy of the home. I should like to add that as regards the children employed on estates no abuses are known to exist. The treatment of estate labourers' children by the planters, as I am informed, has always been generous and sympathetic, and the conditions on the estates as regards health, education and employment of child labour are actually under Government regulation and supervision by the Department of Medical and Sanitary Services, the Education Department and the Department of Indian Immigrant Labour. I can assure the noble Viscount and your Lordships that the Colonial Office will certainly keep an eye on this matter, and will take any other measures that seem to be necessary if the proposed legislation does not appear to be quite effective.
§ LORD OLIVIERMy Lords, while we are on this subject, I should like to ask my noble friend if he can take steps to satisfy himself whether there exists in other Colonies besides Ceylon this system of domestic adoption as we may call it. He might find that it exists in some other Colonies where children are taken from their parents and are used as servants and sent to school. I am not sure whether in other Colonies there is that provision, by means of the law, for the protection of children, which it appears is to be made in Ceylon. I would ask my noble friend if he would satisfy himself that the law for the protection of children is in all cases effective.
§ LORD PASSFIELDMy Lords, I can only say in reply to my noble friend that I will have that inquired into, and any necessary steps taken.