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solicitor and a barrister. (Laughter). Subsequently when I interviewed three of the stallholders myself on the morning of 27th June, 1960 they indicated that there had been a loss of about $10,000 mainly occasioned by the decay of fish while being transported from Bowrington Street to Canal Road, the distance of 100 yards, to which I have made reference above. They were certainly not very specific and I came to the conclusion that $10,000 was a convenient round number.
As regards question 8, I am satisfied that excellent liaison exists with the Police. If you think otherwise, this matter could be discussed at the next Hawkers Select Committee meeting."
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I will if I may ask a few supplementaries, I will take them in the order that you have answered the questions. First of all, the mention that you make to the $65 per stall per month as the average rent. Am I not right in thinking that vacant stalls are auctioned at an open auction for the highest amount of rent offered?
CHAIRMAN:--That is quite correct, Mr. BERNACCHI. As far as I know none of these stalls has recently been auctioned. I may be wrong.
MR. BERNACCHI:—And I think I am right in saying also that the rentals are subject to periodic reviews by the Council in the case of old rents.
CHAIRMAN:-It has been the intention of the Council that the rentals should be reviewed, but so far I do not think that any of them have in fact been raised.
MR. BERNACCHI:--Mr. Chairman, were any steps taken in liaison between the Police and this Council in respect to the activities, may I put it that way, in respect to the activities of the Police constable mentioned in my questions?
CHAIRMAN:---As soon as the information was conveyed to this Council, that of course was by the letter dated 22nd April, an immediate investigation was made, and there was direct liaison with the Officer-in-Charge, Eastern Police Station.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Would I be right in saying that a certain constable was removed by a Police van from the site of the market?
CHAIRMAN:--I have certainly never heard that version.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, taking the facts that you give in answer to my first question, as Chairman of this Council not as Director of Urban Services, as Chairman of this Council, are you or are you not concerned at the indication by the dismissal of one summons and the withdrawal of a number of others that stallholders of this Council were being wrongfully summonsed.
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CHAIRMAN:-I understand that the summonses were dismissed on account of there being quite a lapse of time. It was necessary for the constable in question to refresh his memory from a diary and the Magistrate was reluctant to permit him to do so.
MR. BERNACCHI:-May I ask whether you consider, as Chairman of this Council, that some of our stallholders have been imposed upon by a particular Police constable?
CHAIRMAN:-I am afraid I cannot be called on, under Standing Orders, to express an opinion.
MR. BERNACCHI:--Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My next question is: In answer to, or rather under paragraph 4 of your answer, when you say the Police were merely doing their duty in trying to keep the thoroughfare open to traffic, are you referring to the steps taken by the Police in the public thoroughfare or in area of the market itself?
CHAIRMAN: In a case like this, Mr. BERNACCHI, there is always a chain reaction. The stallholders put things on the pavement and the people who should be on the pavement go out into the middle of the road, thus causing confusion in the middle of the road. I think this matter has honestly been aired sufficiently.
MR. BERNACCHI:---Oh, Mr. Chairman, with respect, if I co-operate with you by asking eight questions in one, I feel that you must indeed accept my supplementaries to the eight questions separately. Would I be right in saying then, Mr. Chairman--this is what it amounts to as I see it that in this ancient Bowrington Market, it is not possible to draw a clear distinction between the duties of the Urban Council Inspectors and the duties of the Police in that particular area.
CHAIRMAN: That is a point that I tried to make. The stalls in Bowrington Market open directly onto the pavement, and the dividing line is nothing like so clear as it would be in an enclosed market, that is, a market with one entrance and a number of stalls opening inwards.
MR. BERNACCHI:-I take it, Mr. Chairman, that, when you answer my third question that the Police follow hawkers escaping into markets, you are referring to unlicensed hawkers found by the Police to be hawking in areas where they should not be hawking.
CHAIRMAN:---Yes, I was referring to that category of hawkers.
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