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Mr. Wilcox.--I think a great point is that the photograph on the registration ticket shall be a likeness of the person producing it.
them.
Witness. Of course that is the great object. It is to enable people to identify
Mr. Badeley.-Yes, but Mr. Dennys' point is that a man changes so much in ten years that nobody could identify him.
The Chairman.---Would a man's signature identify him?
Witness. The Chinese handwriting is as clearly a mark of the writer as English handwriting is, but with reference to the coolie, he generally makes his mark, and if he does sign his name, may do it one way one time and another way the next time. Chinese often ask you how to sign their name. They don't generally have a signature in the sense that we have.
Q.--Within recent years, have you had any difficulty in obtaining reliable ricksha and chair coolies ?
A.--In March last when I returned from England my coolies considered them- selves ill-treated and gave me notice that they were going to leave, saying that the work was too hard for them.
Q.-The work was not so hard as coolies had done before?
A.-Nothing like so hard as coolies used to do before the Tramway was invented. Q.-Have you thought of the causes of the difficulties experienced during the past few years?
A.-I think it is chiefly, as far as the chair coolies are concerned, the introduction of jinrickshas and the Tramway, and, of course, the increased cost of living. There is not the least doubt about the increased cost of living. I believe 1881 is the year that the Chinamen fix as the date when the prices went up. When the Princes were entertained here, the fishmongers put up the price of fish in order to pay for the Dragon, which was a most expensive affair, and the pork butchers put up the price of pork so as to pay
for their Dragon. Their Dragon was a very costly one, covered with king-fisher's feathers and cost several thousands of dollars. Since then, the prices have always been going up and have never gone back.
Mr. Wilcox. They never do go back in China.
The Chairman. Are you in favour, Mr. Dennys, of the passing of a law making it punishable for an employer to employ an unregistered servant such as a ricksha or a chair coolie ?
A.—I am not really in favour of such a law.
Q-You think it would involve personal trouble?
A.—It would involve personal trouble and it would create a feeling that we were interfering with the free right of contract. It is not law so far as I know in any other country. It is not the law in England of course. I think a large number of people would just do as they did in the old days. After a short time they would try to get their servants without any registration.
Q.-Supposing the Police were active ?
A. I personally do not think you can cure the evil by legislation. The only way to enforce it is by making it a penal offence to employ servants that are not registered. To make it effective you must have a penal clause.
Q.-You, yourself, are not in favour of compulsory registration?
A-I don't think it will assist much.
Q.-Can you give us your reason for that opinion?