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Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-It is initialed on the 20th September by Mr. BOWDLER; there is no date to Mr. PRICE's initial; the pay sheet is for the 30th September, and the date when it is paid is the 20th November.
Q.-Hon. A. LISTER.-Is that the date when it is paid or brought into account?
A.-Paid.
Q.-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.--I should like another instance.
A.-I dare say Mr. BowDLER is at fault in that case. He generally passes the bill and keeps it.
Q.-Well, Mr. BOWDLER says it is not his fault; he says it is your fault.
A.-How can we pass in September when there is a bill on the 8th October? They
all come to me at the same time.
Q.-But they are put in for September.
A.-I can show you when these bills came to my office.
Q.-There is great carelessness somewhere. You make a pay sheet for September and put in bills for October.
WITNESS—No, it is dated September, that is all.
Q.-Hon. A. LISTER.-The idea would be that this is money for works requisitioned for in September?
A. Yes.
Q.-And with one delay and another it is November before the bills get paid?
A. Yes.
Q.-But it is work requisitioned for in September?
A. Yes.
Q.-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-In what office did it stop
A. That I cannot say. Sometimes you will see on Mr. BOWDLER's table a heap of bills.
Q.-Hon. A. LISTER. From what you know of the department where would it be likely to stop, with Mr. PRICE, Mr. BOWDLER, or Mr. GUTIERREZ ?
A.-Mr. GUTIERREZ has nothing to do but to make out the pay sheet. Mr. PRICE and CHAN FUK have to classify.
Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-There is one thing that ought to be done: everyone who initials it ought to put the date on.
Q-Hon. A. LISTER.-Can you suggest any plans by which these delays might be simplified, and any Contractor, no matter whether for contract or measurement work, could get his payment as readily as from you or me if he had done the work for us in our private capacities?