shop.
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Mr. Francis.--Why, you pay $150 a month for a house and $60 or $70 for a
Mr. Osborne. It is quite that for a house.
Mr. Ladds.--But you only have one floor in the Market.
Mr. Osborne. Every man selling hams and tinned provisions in the Market is crowding out others who have nowhere else to go. Why should they do that? How many stalls in the Market are occupied by compradores ?
A.--Ten. I don't think they take up much room and you should leave them. Q.--Why were they allowed there?
A.--As a convenience to the public. It is far handier to have one compradore to whom your boy goes and gets all he wants.
Mr. Francis.-The compradore buys goods for him--everything he wants, but you have got to pay extra for it to allow for the compradore's profit.
Q-Taking it roughly how many additional stalls ought to be provided? In Hongkong, taking it from East to West, what is the total accommodation that ought to be provided for vegetable and fruit stalls.
all.
A.-I could not tell you that off hand. I would not like to hazard an opinion at
Q. How many vegetable hawkers are there?
A.--I have nothing to do with vegetable hawkers. I think you should write down such questions as that and then it gives me a chance to get some figures to- gether.
Mr. Francis.--We were giving you credit for being full of the subject, with figures and everything at your finger ends.
Mr. Maitland.--As regards the question of fish, I believe they are all brought overland. Would it not be a good thing to have steam launches to bring them round? We would get them fresher.
A-I don't suppose there are many fish brought overland.
Mr. Francis. From Aberdeen and Stanley and all these places?
A. Some fish are brought overland, but I should not think all.
Mr. Osborne.--How is most of it brought over?
A.-The junks sail right into the Harbour with it.
Mr. Francis.--Where are the fresh fish landed ?
A. They are landed at the Central Market wharf and at the Western Market. They are landed at the wharf nearest to the Market in which they are to be sold.
Mr. Osborne. I should like to ask Mr. Ladds if he can make any suggestions as to how the price of beef, pork, fruit and vegetables could be cheapened ?
L
Then open
A.-Get at the Guilds. They are the people who put the prices up in my opinion. I don't say they are to blame altogether, but they must be to some extent. the New Territory.
Mr. Orborne. I don't think there is very much chance of growing vegetables, but there is lots of room to grow rice crops ?
A.-There are miles and miles of country now growing sweet potatoes and paddy. I understand they grow paddy because it makes more money than vegetables. I asked them that some time ago and they all told me the same. I was surprised.
Mr. Francis. Is there a lot of uncultivated land that might be used for culti- vation ?
A.-Not very much.