185 (171) -
1729/30
Q.--He reads them?
A. He reads them, then he stamps them, with a stamp shewing the date. Then he enters them in a book, which shews the day the letter was received, aud the subject matter of the letter. The letter then comes out to me or Mr. Carter, supposing he minutes them on to myself or the Surveyor.
Q.-Who minutes them?
A. Mr. Carter, and then they are entered again in this book, that this letter has gone out to such and such an officer, so that at any time, on receipt of a letter, I can always trace where that letter is. This system of opening letters by a clerk really arose from the fact that sometime ago there was great difficulty about finding the letters. The writer said he had sent them in, and we could not trace them, and in order to prevent any mistake, all letters addressed to me go to this clerk, this clerk opens the letter, and it is entered in this book.
Q.-Now, what was the nature of the communications which were lost?
A.—It is such a long time ago, that I only have a dim recollection of why this was started.
Q.-Therefore it has gone on since when--this clerk opening the letters ?
A.--Several years.
Q-Therefore they were important letters, that were lost?
A.---I could not say whether they were important letters. It is quite a long time ago and I dont remember.
Q-And have any complaints been made since of letters not reaching your hands?
A. Yes, there have been complaints of letters going astray, but I have no recollection of them.
Q. And have the entries been found in that Chinese clerk's book?
A. Yes, and sometimes they have not been found. For instance, a gentleman came to me the other day, and said he had written on such and such a date. I made enquiries, and it, was found that he had not sent the letter, but was under the impression he had.
The Chairman.-I will put it to you this way: Supposing I wrote and complained that I had been to the Sanitary Office, and had been spoken to rudely by someone in the office, and I asked who it was, and was told his name was Tseng for the sake of
argument, and I wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Sanitary Board. That letter would be opened by Mr. Tseng, and presumably it would never reach you?
A. Yes, all letters are opened by him.
Q.--There is no reason why a letter, which that Chinese clerk would want to burk, would not be burked ?
A.--He
opens all letters.
Q.--Does he open letters addressed to G. A. Woodcock, and to the Secretary as well?
A. Yes.