for the working of the Poleung Kuk were published, differing from the statutes framed by Mr. Francis in that they did not require the Association to be incorporated under the Companies' Ordinance of 1865, nor did the new rules give to the Government that tight hold on, and constant insight into, the working of the Poleung Kuk which Mr. Francis' draft scheme had devised. Meanwhile, however, the Chief Justice also noticed that the practice of kidnapping, for purposes other than the coolie traffic, was alarmingly on the increase, and, making no distinction between the sale of girls in connection with domestic servitude and in connection with exportation (for immoral purposes), repeatedly denounced from the Bench, in summer 1879, the system of purchasing or adopting girls for employment as domestic servants as a form of slavery. The Chief Justice alleged that there were from ten to twenty thousand female slaves in the Colony, and that this form of slavery flourished only through the failure of Government officers to enforce the existing laws. This action of the Chief Justice caused at first great alarm and excitement among the Chinese. A deputation called on the Governor (September 24, 1879), and, while asking for permission to form the above mentioned Anti-kidnapping Association, suggested to regulate Chinese domestic servitude by means of registering all purchased servant girls. The fears of the Chinese community were, however, considerably allayed, when the Governor, who had previously been anxious to institute prosecutions against the purchasers of servant girls, now assured them that he would not allow of any harsh measures dealing with an established Chinese national custom. But on 6th October, 1879, the Chief Justice again denounced the female servitude system of Hongkong as strongly as ever, called it down-right slavery, and addressed a few weeks later (October 20, 1879) a letter to the Governor, in which he requested that the Police should be instructed to bring every person, known to have a purchased servant, before the Magistrate, to be dealt with mildly. The Chief Justice at the same time alleged that kidnapping was encouraged by the social habits of foreigners in Hongkong, that a class of mean whites
