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Q. How do you engage your coolies-personally or through a compra lore ?
A.-Oh, through the compradore.
Q-Have you always done so ?
A. All the time.
Q.-You are a member of Melchers and Co.
A. Yes.
Q.-Do the taipans and other gentlemen in Melchers engage their coolies in that
way?
A.-As a rule, I think they will always refer first to the compradore.
Q.-Have you ever found any difficulty in obtaining coolies through the compra- dore ?
A.-No. I am so fortunately situated that I am pretty nigh independent of them by living on the Praya, and they have very easy work with me.
I don't want my chair before one o'clock or two o'clock, just at tiffin.
Q-Have you had any difficulty in keeping your chair coolies?
A.--Oh no, and if I had I would tell them all that if they are not satisfied they can go. They sometimes grumble.
Q. What do they grumble at?
A. Perhaps somewhat late hours and that wages are not sufficient.
Q.
Are you paying more wages now than you were paying ten years ago?
A. Yes, I used to pay $7, but, let me see, they used to live on the premises then.
I am in a peculiar position by sleeping on the Praya and the Office being on the Praya -they probably do other work than my work.
Mr. Wilcox.-They probably do other work, so little time being occupied in carrying Mr. Goosmann. They do no house work for you nor anything else?
A.-Only carrying me.
The Chairman.You are in touch with the German community?
A. Yes.
Q.-Have you heard from them any complaints about the difficulty of obtaining and retaining private chuir and ricksha coolies?
A. As regards that, I have heard a good deal. Mr. Haupt, who is living in Mac- donnell Roal, used to keep a chair with four coolies and he got so annoyed about the continuous bother with them, I asked him "Have you no longer a chair?" He said "No, I have given it up; it is so much trouble. I always keep so much money in ny pocket and the coolies round the Club knowing I pay them freely are willing to take me, and I just take outside chair coolies."
Q.-Have the German ladies, for instance, been complaining to you?
A. Yes. Let me see: Mrs. Schoenemann said to me the other day that these ricksha coolies were troublesome just now.
Q. Can you give us the names of some German gentlemen who live up the Hill?
A. Yes, there is from our office Mr. Roese. He is living in Belilios Terrace. Then there are Mr. and Mrs. Schoenemann who live in Elliot Crescent.