a. Is this practice a common occurrence in your experience?
A. Yes.
Q. And have you seen it going on for many years?
A. The whole year throughout.
Mr Thomson
Q. When did you see this practice of paying part in subsidiary coin?
A. I saw it paid at the end of last year.
Q. Not before?
A. They were paid in dollars and half dollars before. At the end of last year I saw subsidiary coins.
His Excellency
Q. Was the whole five dollars paid in subsidiary coins?
A. No, not all.
Mr Hewett
Q. I understand even large coins were paid, Japanese dollars or half dollars, which so far as Hongkong was concerned, is a depreciated coinage?
A. Yes, they would be changed for 40 odd cents.
Mr Sercombe Smith: Charge "E".
Q. You told us about the Aicinous case.
A. Yes.
Q. That was a case of deducting a loan from wages?
A. Yes.
Q. Had it been a common practice for the first clerk to deduct wages when paying off and to deduct five per cent commission?
A. Yes.
Q. Have you often paid a commission yourself?
A. Yes.
Q. Have you often seen loans deducted?
A. I myself have had deductions.
Q. What would happen if the paying off officer were not paid a commission?
A. It would not be done.
Q. Why?
A. He would scold and any time that signatures were to be made there would be...