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Q.--There was a petition* from the Pó Léung Kuk sent to the Registrar General, but I don't think it had any date on, it was asking for a vote from the Government and intimated that $30,000 had been subscribed by the Chinese. Had you anything to do with the preparation of it?
A.--Yes.
Q.--This petition seems to have been sent to the Registrar General at the beginning of the year.
A.--Yes.
Q.--Did you have anything to do with the drafting of that document?
A.--It was I who drafted it.
Q.--Will you tell me how you collected that money?
A.—We sent out a document † about the subscriptions and then went round in a body.
Q.--How many members of the Committee went round?
A.--Sometimes ten and sometimes twenty.
Q. Had they much difficulty in collecting this $30,000 ? ·
A.--No, there was no difficulty.
Q-In some cases there was difficulty?
A.-Where there was any, we went away.
Q-What does the Pó Leung Kuk mean when it says that "it is owing to the Registrar General's assistance that the money was subscribed with so much goodwill” ? A.-A long time ago Dr. STEWART advised us to get the people to subscribe. said that the Society was doing good work for the Government and that the Government ought to pay for it.
He
The CHAIRMAN.---I don't object to this, but it has nothing whatever to do with the enquiry.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-It has a very important bearing on the whole
matter.
The CHAIRMAN. It has nothing whatever to do with it.
Witness (continuing).—When the Registrar General took his position he urged us to get up subscriptions. We drew up a statement and afterwards found that everybody was willing to subscribe.
Q.-But you say in your petition that it is owing to his assistance that so much money was collected ?
A. He stirred us up.
Q.-You state here that he assisted you?
A. Yes, he urged us on.
Honourable Ho KAL.-Well that is very good assistance.
The CHAIRMAN.--With regard to the question of subscriptions, did you find the community willing to subscribe?
A. Yes, and some of them entertained us in addition to subscribing.
* Se. Appendix 27.
See Appendix 30.