185 (165)
JJ
1719/21
A.--I would not say the majority.
Q-A very large percentage would you like to say?
A.-It would be bad, more especially to cut an old building about. Even a new building would be endangered, for to cut it is dangerous operation.
Q-Dangerous in the execution?
A.-Yes.
Q. I am not speaking of that. Is a building not considerably weakened and rendered more liable to collapse should a typhoon come?
A.--Oh yes, it is in some cases.
Mr. Humphreys.-You said just now that you frequently carried out the work mentioned in notices from Sanitary Board, without satisfying yourself that in your opinion. it was necessary ?
A. Yes.
Q.-Well, would these notices be the full notices sent by the Sanitary Board or the Inspectors' notices ?
A.-I always deal with the full notices. If a man brings me a small notice, I tell him to wait until he gets a full notice. I should not like to refuse the work, if the Sanitary Board says do the work, and it means fees to me, I say do it.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-If they call upon you to do a certain thing, in a certain time, and you dont do it that is ignore it and it has not been carried out, and has been followed by a large notice—
A. Yes.
Q. You have not known a case where it has not been followed by, a large notice?
A.-No.
The Chairman.-With regard to contractors, have you not been informed that to get your work passed quickly-has it ever been suggested to you that you should employ a
certain contractors
Q-No, the same men have been employed by me for many years. I never have any trouble with these men. They are tried men, and—
Mr. Shelton Hooper.--Who are tried men?
A. The contractors.
The Chairman. They are men whose work is passed readily by the Inspectors?
A.—I never have any trouble.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-What are the names of these contractors?
A.-Yick Long, No. 9 Graham Street, for repairing work; Lung On, and Wing On, D'Aguilar Street, they do my larger work; Lee Kee, 46 Wellington Street, I think, usually does my drainage work.
Q. When you say these men do your larger work, dont you always put up your large work to competition-tender ?