1941-09-12 — Page 35

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THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 12, 1941.

And

Library, Supreme Couti

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Kin Lee

Dinner-Parties

Sub-Contracts To A

A.R.P. INQUIRY PROCEEDINGS

YDINNER PARTIES GIVEN BY THE KIN LEE FIRM TO EUROPEAN MEMBERS OF THE WATERWORKS OFFICE AND OF THE 'PORT DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WERE THE SUBJECT OF QUESTIONS AT THE RESUMED HEARING OF THE A.R.P. INQUIRY THIS MORNING.

Evidence was also given by the wife of, Kwong Wing regarding sub-contracts given sion. to her by Kin Lee in connection with the tun-thorised you to do so. nel contract for Kowloon.

When the inquiry was resumed allowed to refer to my books this morning, the chairman, Mr. will be able to tell. Justice P. E. F. Cressall, asked There is an item for

$10.400 Kwong Wing whether he had Marsinan's paid you between brought the statements requested June 1 and 15, what was that for? on the previous day.

That was for the 2,000 sleepers I referred to.

Witness said that he had done so. producing the statements at the same time, adding that "as regards the sum here of $7,763.86, I have the receipt for it."

Chairman: What was that con- nected with? This is a receipt from Marsman's for fuse coils.

Wife

paid your wife?—I worked till express an opinion.

midnight last night; I did not go Do you know up to date the over June,.......

cost to Government of the tun- Assuming the same. rate from nels?-Up'to July, we received June it would be another $13,000? | from Government $801,858, -If the same amount of work wus done.-Yes.

You told me not one of these tunnels is complete?—Yes,

Is any one capable of housing Every one. people in case of an air raid?-

What do you mean when you' say they are not finished?-There have not been limewashed. is no light installed and the walls

Are the walls boarded up?—A great part.

What ambunt

'In fact Government have paid you over $800,000-for-tunnels tiot yet ready?-Strictly speaking they could be used.

Over A Year

Put it this way. Government has paid $800,000 for tunnels not yet complete?--Yes,

for over a year? Yes.

And you have been on the, job

the system at the beginning but Witness then wanted to explain

knew all about it. the chairman said the commission

With timber or concrete?-Only by Kin Lee?-Under our supervi-timber; it is mostly with cement a small portion is propped with concrete, And you say Mr. Campbell au-

You have been on the job a Have you

became of the large year and yet it is not complete? anything in writing? No.

of timber?-Some This plant you gave to the sub-used for making benches, some for

Do you know the Hong Kong supports and a portion was un-Engineering Construction I contractors was purchased by used.

Com- What quantity was unused?-pany, a well known: firm?--I do

not know how well they known.

Then there's an item for $1.650. What was that for?-It is for an air tank receiver.

And you did not charge Govern- ment for that? - No.

Why not? Because that was in- cluded in the plant hired by Gov-

And does Government pay you hire for that? Yes.

Where is the next one?-As re-ernment. gards the second amount, $10,400, this sum is in respect of the sale of sleepers to Marsinan's at $5.20 each. We sold these to Marsman's. They paid you for them? Yes. Where is the receipt?--I gave the receipt on the bill.

Where is the book?-I gave a receipt on the bill produced by Marsman's.

How much?-$500. And you paid how much for the plant?-About $20,000.

For Rent

Government?—Yes.

And you charged 10%-Yes, Do you agree with me that if Government gave the machinery to the sub-contractors the work would have been done cheaper? - Where would Government get the machinery from?

By buying it-It is impossible for Government to buy such ma- chinery.

Requisition Power

They bought it from you?-Gov- ernment bought certain machiner- | les, but some we refused to sell.

But you would have hired them? -We would not if we did not get the contract.

Do you know that. Government have power to requisition them?

was Yes,

cannot tell off hand. used and in store, over $10,000,

Roughly about how much?--Un-

Hunghom.

Where do you

store it?-In

are

Have

you ever heard of Mr. Faber?-No.

Do you know that the Construc- In your store?-No; the timbertion-Company constructed a tun- ernment land. is deposited on a piece of Gov-nel on the Braga estate?-No.

that tunnel is com- Who watches the timber?--Our plete and in very good order?-- watchman.

No. You charge 10 per cent, on that?-Yes.

Ventilation

כי

You said that there was no light in the tunnels? Yes. There is light for working but not instal lation.

Any sanitary arrangements for the public? We have built.com-

Questioned on another item,-Yes. $3,882,37 for jack-hammers, wit- Do you know the Defence Re-partments. Only the pans are re- You did not keep a duplicate?—ness replied that he was not able gulations?--Yes. No.

Red Entry

Is that account entered in your books? Yes.

Will you refer us to that entry?

Yes.

Witness then produced a state- ment and after examining same the chairman asked witness why this particular entry was made in red.

Witness replied that he did not know, as the clerk in his office had done it.

How do 1

The transaction took place in May? Yes.

They why has Marsman's put it down as having taken place in March? know, sir? That refers to 2,000 sleepers, doesn't it? The first lot was for 5,000 and the second lot for 2,000. Chairman: I want to make a correction about the. statement that Marsman's had got it down that the transaction took place in March. It says that it took. place in May so it agrees with

to find that item in

The Chairman: Did Marsman's ever buy anything from you per- sonally? No.

the ma-

his books. Do you know then that Gov- His books showed the item for ernment has complete power to | jack-hammers as being $3,942.37. requisition any machinery?—Yes.

The Chairman: Take note, I My suggestion is that had Gov-{ want details of the payment by ernment requisitioned Marsman's of $1,000 between chinery and gave it to the con- March 16 and March 31, 1941. tractors to do the work they would Witness: I can tell that now. It not have to pay the 10%?--Yes. was for rent for an air compres- So here we have the companies sor for four months.

who doing work for Kin Lee charges 10%: and this is to go on until they finish the job?-Yes.

I can assure you it won't. if the What is your name? Kwong Commission have anything to do Wing.

Are you known by any other The Chairman then referring to name? No.

other disbursement sheets pointed Referring to another disburse-out several sub-contractors to

ferred to ment summary, the Chairman re-, whom Kin Lee paid out large an item of $1,385.70 sums for work on the tunnels in which witness explained was Kowloon. $1,435.70, the $50 extra: being for The Chairman: Now, does the sharpening steel and the remain-name of Kin Lee appear anywhere der for the supply of steel from in vour books for excavation Marsman's.

work? No. Sir.

F

The Chairman: It is okád by F. T. Cheng?—Yes.

Who initialled it?-Mr. Camp-

bell.

with it.

Profits

The chairman then referred to I note that all were not signed the plant and witness said that your but initialled, statement. Now, where is a simi- Signatures were put on disburse-

is that right? 10 per cent. was charged to Gov- lar statement regarding the 5,000 sleepers? We do not have this, ment sheets.

We purchased 10,000 pieces and 5,000 went to Marsman's, so that - we have no deduction.

}

"Ten Per Cent.?"

Only the vouchers were initial- led?—Yes.

Sub-Contracting

Why did you sub-contract a great deal of tunnelling to other people? The sub-contracting was for labour supplied by other firms. We had the machinery or

ernment.

Chairman: That plant was used by the sub-contractor?—Yes. And they made a profit on the job?—Yes.

Any idea of the profit they made? No.

quired.

Any pans? No. Any ventilation system instal

led? I don't know.'

Are the tunnels ventilated?-1 can't say.

Also that

Do you know Mr. Faber made a tunnel at request of Govern- ment?No.

You could not tell me why Mr. Faber was not approached by Mr. know. Bishop as you were? I don't

-

Visits To Mr. Campbell

P

You know Mr. Campbell? Not personally.

Have you ever seen him apart from business? No. 10

Witness was reminded by the Quite sure? I myself, never.

Chairman he wascon oath.

Witness:As far as I can re- member, always in connection with business.

How many workmen are in, the tunnel at one time? About 200.

What is the capacity of the tun- ^ "Always in his office or on the grund work? —“Sometimes I went to nel? Depends on the size:

You know we have not seen the his residence to take him to in- tunnels, we will inspect them lat-spect the work er. I want an average? The You went to his residence? tunnels are built to bold 50,000 Every Friday, I sent a car to take

him to inspect the work. people.

Chairman:-Then let us take the You sometime went: too?

10,000 people? Yes. average; about Yes.

Do you agree with me, that if were put in the 10,000 people tunnel they would be suffocated in half an hour?-No.

You went to his residence after work? No, after work the crossed the harbour. We each went our own way, but some- times I also crossed the harbour. Mr. Campbell lives in Kow- loon? Yes.

Without any system of ventila-

Have you ever seen him after tion?--I don't think they would be suffocated in half an hour.

If they

were there -24. hours.8 p.m.? Yes.

(Continued on Page 9) would they "suffocate? I cannot

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In addition to that proft, you charged Government 10 per cent.?

That is your idea of cost plus B 10 per cent. contract? Yes,

-Yes.

You have a summary

for the 2,000. Why didn't you do the same with the 5,000?-Of this lot of 10,000 pieces, 8,000 had been re moved to Kowloon for which Gov- else how could they do the work. All this was done with the ap- ernment had paid and 5,000 were Who is the Union Express. Con- struction Company? A sub-con-

sold to Marsman's.

I know that, but why isn't it tractor. down as having been sold to Mars-In January 1941, you paid them man's? I don't know. As a mat- $4,851 for tunnelling work? It ter of fact the way these 5,000 was for labour.

was entered up was under the in- Why did you not put down In- structions of Mr. Buchanan and bour in the disbursement sheet. Mr. Chang.

* All right. Did you charge: 10 per cent, for the 2,000 you sold to Government?-No./

Witness" then, produced, a docu- ment showing that

he amount was for excavating soft and rock and timber shoring.

* You are quite sure, now May The Chairman: What does that I have a look at the accounts agair mean?-Labour for excavating of before I answer that question, I rocks, trilling for soft, and tim- don't remember. 10 per cent. be was not charged.

Well now, there's another item here, $27,

What about that?

was not asked to produce that.

No Charge

Whose machinery did they use?

cols.

"Did Not Do Job! Then am I correct in saying that you handed the machinery, to three or four sub-contractors to do the

Chairman (To Mr. Blike): Will you make a “note of that now, tunnelling work which you did please

proval

of Mr. Campbell. He knew that you were charging Government 10 per cent. von the

Toss amount of the job? Yes. -Besides tunnelling did your flim: undertake the building of shel ters? No.

Do you know who is doing the. work? No.

blocks? No.

Did you ever purchaso concreto

Are you not building offices for the Urban Council?--Yes,

Are you using concrete blocks? →Yes.

How do you get them?-We-re- ceive them from Government. remove them and use thani.

They cost nothing?—Wo pay no» thing for them.

"You do the transportation and do the work? Yes.

Payments To Wife

not do at all? —Yes, by Did you And how much the firm Chairman (to witness):" Marg arrangement with Mr. Camp-paid your wife for transporta- man's show in their disburse- bell we were allowed to sub- tlon?-$13,000. ments "less payment by Kin Lee; let to carry out the work in this Between what monhs? From -$33,970.96.”—I have the receipt manner.

February to sometime in Jun for that.

Then I am correct is saying that 1041. What was that for?--I cannot most of the tunnelling "work was Tour months?—YCK, foll "off hand, but if I may be done by sub-

and not. Since then How much have you.

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Sole Agants.

W R. LOXLEY & CO., (CHINA) LTD.