Mr Guterres: It is false.
By Dr Atkinson
Q. You don't need it if they have a paper?
Mr Guterres: I do not know.
Q. If they produce that paper, that is enough?
A. I had a big row once over that.
Mr Gompertz: Do you mean to say that the paper was not presented by the same man on both occasions?
Mr Guterres: It was a different man.
Mr Gompertz: It was presented to you by a short man, an old man, therefore you refused to pay because you thought he was not the right person?
Mr Guterres: Now I know.
Mr Gompertz: What made you think this was not the right person?
Mr Guterres: Because according to the captain's articles it is the master's boy and not an old man.
Mr Gompertz: How about the short man?
Mr Guterres: The man on the articles is only 28 years of age, and the one who presented the account is over 30. That is the reason I did not pay then.
Mr Sercombe Smith: Do you mean to tell the Council that you turned up the ship's articles to compare the age of the man to whom the money ought to be paid?
Mr Guterres: No, sir, not at all.
Mr Hewett: You refused to pay on the production of this paper?
Mr Guterres: I did and told him to bring someone from the captain and I would pay him on Monday.
Mr Thomson: You said Sai Yau?
Mr Guterres: Yes. I said Sai Yau or someone else. There is no occasion to refuse payment if he came in the proper time.
Mr Hewett: When he came the second time did you see only one man?
Mr Guterres: Only one man.