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Q. Why are coolies not willing to serve non-Chinese masters ?
A. Because they are working for other masters and they get their living. Why should they go and accept another master?
The Chairman.-Why should they? But they do it.
Witness.-Well, I don't think so. If one is out of employment and offer is made to him that there is a billet for him he will go at once but, unless it is regular employ- ment, he won't go.
Mr. Badeley. You say the floor you live on holds nineteen men?
A. Yes. We used to have more men but the Central Police Station would not
allow it.
rent ?
Q-He means the Sanitary Board. Are there always as many ?
A. We have been fined by the Magistrate.
Q. Are there always as many as nineteen there?
A. Well, only nineteen. That is the most.
Q. Are there always as many as nineteen?
A.
Sometimes there are less than nineteen. Some go home.
Q.-You say there are nineteen of you and between you you have to pay $30 as
A. Yes.
Q. If there were only fifteen of you, would you still have to pay the landlord $30 or would you pay less?
A. We would have to pay $30 even if there were only fifteen of us.
Q.-No matter how many there are in the house, you still have to pay $30 between you. Is that the rule ?
A. He doesn't care whether there are enough men or not, we have to pay the $30 always.
Q-Have you always lived in this place since you came to Hongkong?
A. I have lived there ever since I arrived here.
Q. And have you always had to pay a dollar and something---the same amount of rent?
A. If we had nineteen in the house $1.70, but if a less number we had to pay more-perhaps $2 each so as to make up the $30.
The Chairman.-Give us the name of the man to whom you pay rent.
A. The landlord is a very wicked landlord. He lives on the top floor and he won't take small coins. He says: "Take them away and get me bank notes for them." I don't know his name.
Q. And does he leave it to one of you to collect the rent?
A.--No. We have to meet on a certain day and each pays so much and one man takes it up-stairs. There is no headman there. I would ask your Lordship to write to the Sanitary Board not to limit the number to live there. If they allowed us to have a greater number of men there, we would not have to pay so much then.
Q-How many would you like?
A. The place is quite big enough to accommodate thirty men, but the Police will not allow it. We had a cockloft and they ordered it to be pulled down.