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The Chairman.-How much did you pay five years ago ?
A.--About six dollars a month, from six to eight, then from eight to nine and-a- half and now the landlord wants to increase it to twenty dollars.
Q.-Who is your landlord ?
A. He is a clerk in the Customs. His name is Kwok Mui.
Q-Is he in the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs in Queen's Road ?
A.--Well, formerly he was here, but now he is in Canton.
CHAN A KUN declared:-
The Chairman. What do you do?
A.-I am a chair coolie.
Q. A private chair coolie or a public chair coolie.
A.--A private chair coolie.
Q.--Who is your master ?
A. -A Chinaman named A Kai in Peel Street.
Q. What wages does he pay you?
A.-Ten dollars a moon.
Q.-Does he provide you with lodging?
A. No. I live in a coolie house.
Q.-Where?
A.-No. 16, Gage Street.
Q.-Who is head of that house?
A.--He is a Chinaman who lives on the top floor of the house. I don't know his name.
Q.-And how many people are living on that floor?
A.-The Government only allows nineteen to live there.
Q.-What do you pay a month for rent?
A.-Thirty dollars a month and divide that amongst nineteen.
Q.-And how much a month do you pay?
A.-I ask your Lordship to work that out--thirty by nineteen.
Q.-I don't want to work it out. A. We pay $1.70 each.
Q.-Does that include your food?
A. I have to find my own food.
What do you pay a month as rent?
Q-Do you have it in the coolie house, and mess there?
A. I cook myself, and whatever food I buy I get it from the market.
Q.-What does it cost you for food each month?
A. Rice itself costs me $2.