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A.-Some would go back to their own country and others would take on private employment.
The Chairman.--It has just occurred to me to ask you this. Supposing the diffi- culty of procuring reliable ricksla and chair coolies increased and we found no means by legislation of remedying the difficulty, don't you think that it would be very conve- nient for the public if we haul more chair stations and more ricksha stations especially down below and at the Peak? Take the Peak, there is only one chair station. If you had another chair station near Mount Gough Police Station and if you had another where the road bifurcates round Mount Kellet, under such circumstances residents might well be prepared to do without private chair coolies. What do you think of that suggestion?
Witness. In which case does it appear that there are not enough stations-not referring to the Peak?
The Chairman.--I have often wished that there was a chair station close by my house. I have sometimes been left without chair coolies.
of it.
Witness.--In the case of the Peak, certainly. I have had some experience myself
The Chairman.--I am not competent to speak of down below myself.
Witness.-There are so many down here already that your remarks do not apply.
Mr. Wilcox.--What about Kowloon ?
A.-Kowloon has been re-arranged. have a fight after all the passengers had gone. laid
They used to stand by one another and This had to be stopped. One man got
up and one or two rickshas got into the harbour.
The Chairman.--It seems to be your opinion that the occupation of public chair. or ricksha coolie is more lucrative than that of private chair or ricksha coolie?
A.-That is so.
Q.-Do you think it practicable to reduce the fares to such an extent as to make the difference between the earnings of public and private chair and ricksha coolies very slight indeed ?
A.-It might touch some rather hard, Sir. Some during a month might make $60 between them but there are others who would not always be in a position to make so much.
The Chairman.-Would the other members of the Commission like Mr. Hanson to draw up a schedule of rates which he thinks might meet the suggestion in one of my latest questions ?
Mr. Wilcox. I think it is a useful suggestion. There is no doubt about it that Hongkong overpays its ricksha and chair men. Both in Shanghai and Singapore,-I won't say they are more orderly, but I believe they are--they are much lower paid and there are far more vehicles. In Singapore especially there are far more vehicles and they have run the tramways off the line. Now, I should be sorry to see that hap- pen here, but I certainly think our Shanghai experience should be utilised in Hongkong. They undoubtedly regulate the ricksha traffic better than we do because they get better served there through greater control over the Chinese or by making the com- petition keener.
Mr. Badeley. It is a question of Police more, I think.
The Chairman.-If a constable has to run after a coolie every time and take his name and number and then summons him at the Police Court, I think that is a very roundabout way of keeping order. It would be better if he had a switch.