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Q.-How long had you been chief clerk ?
A. Since January, 1860.
Q.-We won't go back as far as that, but in 1885 and 1886 and until Mr. Mitchell- Innes' arrival what were your duties as chief clerk? There was no regular Treasurer. There was Mr. Lister who was Postmaster besides?
A. Yes.
Q.-Under that system what were your duties as chief clerk?
A.---My duties were to open all letters addressed to the Treasury and distribute them to the several officers in charge of particular services, and sign all receipts for the Treasurer.
Mr. Thurburn. All receipts, including Crown Rents?
A.-Yes, all.
The Chairman.Did you personally receive any money? Had you to receive any money?
A. It was the shroff's duty to receive money.
Q.-But suppose some of these letters contained cheques, what used you to do with
them?
A.-If I saw that a letter was for Crown Rent I would pass the cheque to the shroff and the letter to Alves, and if the cheque was for taxes I would pass the letter to the clerk in charge of the taxes.
Q.-Mr. Alves was under you
A.-Yes.
Q. What were his duties?
?
A.-His duty was to keep the Rent Roll, journal and to close up the colonial account, the yearly account, and also the Crown Agents' account.
Q.-Was it any part of his duty to receive money?
A.-It was in Mr. Lister's time, when he gave a written authority for Mr. Alves and other clerks to sign for the Treasury. For instance, Mr. Alves would sign for Crown Rent and Mr. Madar for rates and taxes.
Mr. Thurburn.--Previously you used to sign?
A.--Yes.
The Chairman.--Why was the change made?
•
A.--Because I could not do so many things. For instance, the taxes receipts for one Chinaman, like Lai Hing, would take me three quarters of an hour to sign.
Q.-Only once a year?
A.-Every quarter.
Q.-Taxes are collected every quarter?
A. Yes.
Q.--For Crown Rent, how long would it have taken you to sign?
A.-I could not exactly say, but it would not have taken me so long.
Q.--What had you to do? What was your time taken up by?
A.-I had to receive money and witness to payments, contractors, and others.
Q.--You said you received no money?
A.-The shroff received the money.