File 13/1 'Slavery in the Persian Gulf' [‎175v] (361/526)

Page 24 the 1937 report of the Slavery Committee.
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(c) Keeping an unregistered Mui Tsai
(d) Bringing a Mui Tsai into the colony ' ^
(e) Failing to report the death of the employer of a registered Mui
Tsai t>
(/) Failing to report the taking into employment of a registered ^
Mui Tsai .
(g) Failing to report the intended removal from the colony of a 1 * * *
registered Mui Tsai .
(h) Failing to report change of address of a registered Mui Tsai. in
(j) Failing to report the intended marriage of a registered Mui Tsai i
(/) Failing to pay wages to a registered Mui Tsai ^
6 . (a) One case of ill-treatment was reported by a member of the Hong-Rorm q •
for the Protection of Children and concerns a girl 8 years old, who was employed
woman who had ill-treated her. When seen, the girl was covered with bruises and h
tied to a trunk. The employer was charged with (a) keeping an unregistered Mni t"
[b) ill-treating a Mui Tsai; with an additional charge of ill-treatment of a child under Ifi '
Defendant was sentenced to one month hard labour on charge (a) and two month
labour on charge ( 6 ), the sentences to run consecutively. s ^
( 6 ) In another case, information was received from a member of the general hr
concerning two girls who had absconded from their employers owing to ill-treatment R r
girls proved to be unregistered Mui Tsai in the employ of a married woman, and when
showed cane marks and bruises, though they appeared well nourished and had rece'^l
sufficient clothing. The doctor certified that, in each case, the marks and bruises wer T
result of considerable violence. The woman was taken into custody and charged 6 it!
having in her employment, custody or control, two unregistered Mui Tsai, and was furth
charged with ill-treating them. Defendant pleaded “ guilty ” to keeping’two unregistere!
Mui Tsai and ill-treatment of one of these. For keeping and ill-treating the first girl defenda t
was fined 200 dollars on each of the two charges. She was also fined 200 dollars for keeni
the second girl as a Mui Tsai, the charge of ill-treatment in this case being dismissed P '
(c) In one case concerning keeping unregistered Mui Tsai, the European Mui Tsai
Inspector received information from the police to the effect that a suspected unregistered
Mui Tsai had been found crying in the street by a member of the Anti-Mui-Tsai Society
The girl proved to be a Mui Tsai in the employ of a married woman who had threatened her
with a piece of firewood. As a result of enquiries, two other Mui Tsai were found in the
employment of another woman residing in a neighbouring house, whilst a further six suspected
Mui Tsai were discovered in the employ of a woman residing in another part of the house
All the girls appeared to be well fed and clothed. In respect of the charge of keeping an
unregistered Mui Tsai, the first defendant was fined 50 dollars, the second defendant was
fined 50 dollars on each of the two charges, and the third defendant was fined 50 dollars
m fespect of each of the six charges. The fines were paid. The defendants had recently
arrived in the colony from Canton.
(d) In another case, information was received that an unregistered Mui Tsai in the
employ of a married woman had been ill-treated. The girl had been purchased and was
expected to do the entire work of the house ; when seen, she was in dirty black clothing.
eendant was charged with having a Mui Tsai in her employment, custody or control,
e endant pleaded guilty ’ to the charge, stating that she was ignorant of the local law.
er earing the facts, the magistrate remarked that the case was a fair one in which to
exercise is powers under the Ordinance recently passed and sentenced defendant to six
weeks hard labour without the option of a fine.
^ith reference to paragraph ll 1 of my report for the half-year ended May 31st,
, ’ re £ ar . m S Mui Tsai attending school, three girls have been removed from the register,
u t 0 1 T er i y stu dy in g has removed to an unknown address. Six have ceased
hnim k S c C 0 °j or ^ mancia i reasons, five have resumed attending school and a further ten
ko*™ 1 nd t0 !l e L stud y m g> their fees of from 3 dollars to 40 dollars per annum beingpaid
is^therefore ffity^six ^ 0 num ^ er °t girls on record as school pupils on November 30th, 1936,
1 531^ visfi^ e P er j od ander review, the two Chinese lady inspectors paid a total of
as domestir ered ^! U1 T sa i and to former Mui Tsai who have obtained employmen
for missing itTni t S; ^ k ave > i n addition, spent much time and trouble in the searc
regarding unregistered MuflTar^ 111101 ' 0 " WiUl Ins P ector Fraser - in ''> vesti ? atin ? rep0r ’
(Signed) A. Caldecott.