asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether reports have been received from the Federated Malay States of a system similar to that of the Mui Tsai of Hong Kong; whether his attention has been drawn to the ill-treatment of a little girl at Kuala Lumpur; whether he has evidence showing that in this case the child had only been allowed out of the house once during a period of three years; that she was compelled to begin work at five o'clock in the morning and did not finish until late at night, and that she was continually and brutally beaten; and whether any reports received by His Majesty's Government will be laid upon the Table of the House?

Mr. THOMAS:

Mui Tsai are to be found among the Chinese population in the Federated Malay States, and the High Commissioner has promised to submit proposals for dealing with the situation. I have no information as to the case of ill-treatment referred to, but I will call for a report.