( 35 )
A.—Oh yes, it must have increased because the population has increased, but so far as I know the supply has always been fully equal to meet any increased demand without any rise in prices. Perhaps not in the case of firewood, but certainly in every other respect. There have been small supplies of firewood from time to time, but generally from local causes.
Q-To what would you attribute this doubling in price of all these articles?
A. It is very hard to say.
Q-Is there any local cause which has contributed to it?
A-The increase of house rents no doubt. I don't know of anything else. They make high market rents an excuse, but I don't think that is true.
Q.-But rice, pork, &c., are they sold in the Market?
A.-No.
Q.-There is no limitation as to the place of selling of any of these articles?
A.-No.
Mr. Marshall.--Pork can be sold anywhere can it?
A.-No, I forgot about it. It must be sold in the Market. This is uncooked pork. Roast pork is sold outside.
Mr. Francis.--Has there been any increase in the price for accommodation in the Markets during the past six years ?
A. The rents have been gradually going up for years.
Q-But during the past six years has there been any increase?
A.
Yes, I think there has been an increase of rents, but these are controlled by the Registrar General's Department.
Q-Will you just tell us what has been the increase of rents during your expe- rience since 1887 in the pork stalls?
A.—I am afraid I cannot tell you that. The increase for the last forty years I can give you here, with the same number of Markets.
Mr. Marshall. We shall be getting that information from the Registrar General. Mr. Francis. And also from Mr. Ladds' printed returns.
Mr. Francis. Has there been any considerable increase in the new Central Market as compared with the old?
A. I don't think so. They might have been put up a bit.
Q. Can you assign any cause for the increase? Have you any opinion about the cost of pigs landed here?
A. No. I can tell you roughly what it costs to bring them here from Pakhoi and Hoihow. About a dollar a head.
Q. Does that include coolie hire shipping them, and landing them?
A.--I think freight is something like 80 cents, and there are a few small fees after- wards-roughly a dollar.
Q.-Do pigs come to the Colony from anywhere else ?
A. They would come from Canton, but there seems to be a higher customs duty so they can't compete with Pakhoi and Hoihow. They have not been brought from there in any quantity, but they might have been had it not been for the high duty.
Dr. Hartigan. Is that a foreign customs or a local customs?
A.-Lekin, 5 per cent ad valorem.