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Q-What do they refuse to do-what sort of labour?
A-Crank principally, and stone carrying.
Q-Shot?
A-Yes, shot drill.
Q-Do you think from what you have seen that these refusals are justifiable generally?
A-They might be with the men who are ailing. I do not know at all when some of them are ailing, but they can see the doctor, and if the doctor sees there is anything ailing with the men they are not punished.
Q-Do you think any shamming is going on?
A-Yes, to the best of my opinion.
Q-Do you think that the shot drill, the stone carrying, and the crank are too hard for the Chinamen?
A-I do not know. I will tell you why I say so.
There are some men who can
do their tasks in a very short time and I have known them to be finished very early in the forenoon; so if they are willing to work I do not think their work is too severe.
Q-You have been in this Colony a long time and know pretty well the work that the Chinese coolies will do in the street. Is the hard labour that a Chinaman is called upon to do in the Gaol harder than a coolie would do in the street ?
A-The coolies outside use their own time; we have to keep them to time there, but the weights that an outside coolie carries are very often far heavier than the weights in Gaol.
Q-You know the food in Gaol and you know the food that an ordinary China- man gets outside the Gaol; which is the better ?
A-The food they get in the Gaol, in my opinion, is good substantial food; at some labour they get fish and other allowances.
Q-Do you know anything about the opium smokers in Gaol?
A-I do.
Q-Do you know whether those who refuse to labour are generally opium smokers
or not?
A-Generally not, because the majority of the prisoners are put to the crank when they are a long while in Gaol; they are put to the crank for several offences and very few opium smokers are put to hard labour.
Q-If a Chinaman does not work he generally gets a flogging, does he not ?
A-Not at all times.
Q--Generally, I say.
A-Generally, of course, if he habitually refuses his labour.
Q-Now do you think he prefers the rest after the flogging to the hard labour?
A-Well, I have heard some of them say-
Q-You have heard Chinamen say?
A-Yes, I have known them myself. I have said---“You had better go on with your work or you will get a flogging," and the reply has been-" Maskce, Maskee;" and they have lain down.