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would not tender for work away from Kowloon at any reasonable rate. When on this subject, it might not be out of place to ask the Honourable Director of Public Works to say how much was paid for the Government Bungalow at Taipo and how long it took to build. I venture to say that if the Railway works were let in a similar way, the Railway would not be built for double Mr. Bruce's Estimate nor in double the time allowed.
7.
The Honourable Director of Public Works has divided up the expenditure into 4 sub-heads. He stated that my charges for "Supervision" are excessive. What struck me as very strange in the works carried out by the Public Works Department when, through the courtesy of the Honourable Director of Public Works, I was shown over them was the want of "go" in them all. No one ever seemed to be in a hurry, half the men were sitting down smoking &c., the consequence is that most of the contracts appear to be behind time. I acknowledge that Chinese contractors as a rule are good and for any ordinary work need very little technical supervision, but what they do want is someone to hustle them.
8.
The greater part of the men whose pay is charged