THEY were shocking stories: a child of four forced 'to eat nightsoil', because she had been careless in her domestic chores; another, not much older, beaten and made to kneel on Chinese teacup covers; and a third child, 14, forced to kneel on the legs of an upside-down Chinese bamboo stool . . . with a basin full of firewood on her head and the threat of a beating if it fell. It fell and she was thrashed.
Stories like this shocked Hong Kong, and the world - and created a diplomatic crisis 80 years ago that was to bring the whole colonial policy into question: should the British interfere with Chinese tradition or leave it be? The 'Mui Tsai Question' of the 1920s and 30s and a band of determined campaigners pushed the Government to interfere, despite itself.
It also forced the hand of the Chinese: 'Even in a case of animals and birds, the Europeans have formed a society to prevent their ill treatment. I am sure that for the good treatment of servant girls . . . the Chinese will not hesitate to help in forming a society to carry out the object.' With such mild sarcasm Lau Chu-pak (comprador of Messrs A S Watson and Co) opened a landmark meeting of 300 prominent Chinese residents at Tai Ping Theatre on July 31, 1921.
They included Ho Fook (brother of Sir Robert Ho Tung), legislator Chow Shou-son and 'several Chinese ladies'.
The meeting was ostensibly concerned with reports of cruelty to a particular type of unpaid domestic servant called mui tsai - slave girl - whom poverty-stricken parents sold to employers for life.
They were, however, much more concerned that the traditional practice of keeping indentured domestic labour - almost all of them had mui tsai as ladies' maids, some as concubines - was being brought into question by interfering campaigners.