( 116 )
Q-Any one else?
A.-There are others who will only tender for certain classes of work, but that of course is quite right. I find the same thing. Very often good Contractors are willing to tender for us one month and decline to do so the next month. They may be full. One of the men who declines is ATAN, late Contractor for the Royal Engineers, but he declines every one in the same way. If he wants a job he comes and asks you for it; if he is full he says. "No, thank you, I won't tender for that.”
Q-Will you tell us why these men won't tender?
+
A.—TAI YIK is the only man. I can hardly tell you the reason. I think he has got such a good outside business he does not care to.
Q.-Then with regard to the selection of Contractors for work that is not to be put up to tender, do you think they are selected fairly?
A. Yes, I think so.
Q.--Then as to the execution of the work under the eyes of the Overseer, is there any improvement you could suggest in that?
A.-No; I think all work should be carried out under the superintendence of an Overseer. That is the practice we adopt. I don't think you can improve upon that as regards the supervision.
•
Q.-There is, however, a suggestion which everybody has made, that the Overseer should have nothing to do with the measuring. Do you agree with that?
A.-My idea is that an Overseer should not even know the amount of the contract, the amount paid on it, the amount of any certificate, or anything to do with the money, We have six Europeans, and there is not one of them who knows anything about the money whatever. That takes away one half of their power with the Contractor.
Q.-During the time you were in the department, had you any reason to suspect the Overseers took bribes?
A.-I cannot give an instance in which I know of it.
Q.--But had you any reason to suspect anything of the sort was going on?
A.-I have no evidence to base any suspicion upon.
Q.-Have you a general impression of that kind?
A.-I think it was done, more so before my time than in my time. Of course I
only think so.
Q.-You think it has been worse?
A. It has been worse certainly, I should imagine.
Q.--Did you notice any of the Overseers living above their means, or being flush of money, or anything of that kind?
A.—I don't know anything about that,