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Q. Have you ever heard anything about Overseers seeming to be very flush of
money?
A.-No.
Q.--Did you sign that petition to the Government for an inquiry?
A.-I did not see the first one. There was another one I signed.
Q.-The CHAIRMAN.-About a public inquiry?
A.--Yes,
Q.--Hon. A. LISTER. You did not sign the first one?
A.-No, I was over at Kowloon and I did not see it.
Q.-Then you have never heard in any shape or way of any Contractor giving money or valuable presents to anybody?
A.-No, except at Christmas time.
Q-And what presents are given at Christmas?
A. Generally fowls, mutton, fruit, or anything like that.
Q. Well, there is a case I have been asking about. Here is one man in the department who seems after six years to have had $1,500 to go into hotel-keeping with, and another who seems after six or eight years to have had between $4,000 and $5,000. to go into an undertaking business with.
A.-Well, he was in the artillery and made a good deal of money there.
Q.-How?
A. He had the repairing of the Police rifles and made $40 or $50 a month by that; also the Chinese gunboats.
Q.-So you think he made money as Armourer Sergeant?
A. I don't know, he had a good deal of money.
Q.-Well, but if he made so much money as Armourer Sergeant is it likely he would come to the Public Works Department on $80 a month?
A.-I don't know. The Police work was taken away from him before he joined.
Q.-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-When a contract is given out for public works, after a tender has been accepted, then I presume an Overseer is appointed to superintend the
work?
A. Yes.
Q.-At what portion of the time does your duty commence?
A. Generally just as the job starts. You get a copy of the specification. The job I am on now-the Police Barracks at Kowloon, was not allowed to start until I went over there to see the foundations put in.