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APPENDIX B.
EVIDENCE.
3rd September, 1901.
FRANCIS HENRY MAY sworn:—
The Chairman. You are head of the Police. Mr. May?
Witness.-Yes.
Q. And the licensing of public chairs, rickshas and gharries is in your hands?
A. Yes.
Q.-Have you had any complaints from individuals about the difficulties of pro- curing reliable private chair and ricksha coolies ?
A. Yes, I have had a great many.
Q.-Can you give us an estimate of the number?
A.-I have had about a dozen complaints this year. That is, I have had a dozen applications for assistance in getting coolies. I have heard many complaints besides. Q.--How many years have you been receiving complaints and applications?
A.-I have had applications for assistance in getting coolies ever since I have been in the Police-for eight and-a-half years.
Q.-Have you found that they have increased in recent years?
A.-
Of course they have increased. There have been greater difficulties this year.
I have had these dozen applications I spoke of this year alone.
Q. Can you tell us any reason why the applications have been more frequent this year, or rather put it this way-can you give the Commission any reason why there has been more difficulty of late in obtaining these services?
A.-Well, one reason is that the community is increased, the demand for coolies is greater, and the coolies are more or less limited in number. They are not under any control whatever, and they can do what they like. Another reason is that the cost of living has increased and wages are still going up. I would refer the Commission to my remarks on the subject in a Memorandum I wrote on this coolie question under date of the 2nd of August.
Q. Do you know whether there is any Coolie Guild or Association of private chair and ricksha coolies?
A.-There is no actual guild, but there are Clubs in these coolie houses that they go to.
Both licensed and private chair coolies all frequent coolie houses, and the men from different districts frequent the same house and form a sort of club, and there is no doubt that they determine among themselves whom they will serve and whom they won't serve, and what terms they will serve for, and they combine in these clubs to boycott people they don't like. But there is no regular chair coolie guild like other guilds: at least, not that I am aware of. The Triad Society, however, plays a considerable part in this matter. There are two lodges of it in the Colony, and most of the chair and ricksba coolies belong to or at any rate will rally to one or the other to combine for any purpose. I don't mean that they are actual premises occupied as lodges, but the Society exists though it is not active at present.