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Q. What wages do the coolies receive from the Godown Company and from Jardine's gross wages?
A.-Jardine's wages vary.
Q-Is it monthly pay or daily?
A.-Monthly pay,
Q.-It varies, you say. Give us the range from what to what?
A.-Eight, nine, ten, and twelve dollars.
Q.-At the Godown then, do they all get the same rate of pay or do they get different rates ?
A.--Eight, nine and ten dollars.
Q-Any higher than ten dollars?
A.--Forty men are now being paid by the manager to pile up goods in the Go- down. They each get twelve dollars a month.
it ?
Q.-That is a special job?
A.--Yes.
Q. Do you find that public ricksha coolies become Godown coolies?
A. Yes, when they have got the strength.
Q.-If he has got the strength he will leave the ricksha and go to you, is that
A. I am head coolie of different establishments, so I examine them once every three months. There are first class, second class and third class.
Mr. Badeley.
A.
That is for the eight, nine and ten dollars, is it?
Yes. First class gets eight dollars, second class nine dollars, and third class ten dollars.
The Chairman. Your answer to my question was that public ricksha coolies did leave the ricksha employ and go to the Godowns. Do they come to you asking for employment or do you go to them and tell them you have got employment for them?
A. They come to me.
Q. And do other coolies do the same thing?
A. Yes.
Q-Why do they do it? Is the pay in Jardine's and in the Godowns better than the earnings of the chair and ricksha coolie?
A. In whichever line of business they can make most money, they go.
Q.They have a try. Do they frequently leave?
A. When they have not fulfilled the contract, they are not allowed to go. When they fulfil their contract, they go.
Q.-Having once gone to the Godown and Sugar work, do the ricksha and chair coolies tire of it and go back to their original occupation?
A. Yes.
Q.-Is that frequently done?
A. It is frequently done.