1941-09-12 — Page 41

· THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 12, 1941.

DINNER-PARTIES AND SUB-CONTRACTS TO

(Continued from Page 3)

Where? I went to see him in his house.

What for? Because on one oc- casion there was a collapse of a tunnel and I wanted him to in- spect the collapse.

How long was that ago? Either in February or March,

Did he go with you to see the collapse? He did not go with me. He told me to go first. went there to get instructions what to do.

You went away? Did he came?

Yes. No.

Dinner Party

Was that the only occasion you

went to his house after 8 p.m.? I went there on another occasion about Christmas time last year.

Why? He invited me to din- Yes, I arrived

ner at his house.

Did you go?

after nine.

on

--

Did you have dinner? - Yes. Was this a friendly dinner or business? There were several Europeans there too.

Who wer** they? Mr. Lavrov of Marsman's, Mr. Simpson. — I do not know what he does and a gentleman from Marsman's.

That is all.

Wus it a nice dinner?-Turkey and something else.

Wine? Yes.

“Uncomfortable”

You all had a very nice time? I believe everybody present, ex- cept myself, had a very nice time. I was uncomfortable as I was not used to paries of this sort. I had been invited and thought it would be bad form if I did not show up.

You d'd not have indigestion, like Mr. B. C. Lam, did you?--- As a matter of fact I had my

dinner before I went

1

On your behalf? Oh, yes, Kin Lee gave a dinner, ⠀⠀⠀

When? Early this year. Where?-At the Golden Restaurant,

sir.

City

Did you go to the dinner?—Yes,

Remember who also were there? -Our manager, Mr. Wan Hin, was there.

Was Ah Ting there?---No.

Waterworks Staff

Any Europeans?-Everybody in the Water Works office, except Mr. Bickford and Mr. Woodman attended. One of them said he had a toothache.

Water Works

KIN LE A WIFE

Why did you do that?-Because Mr. Campbell had invited me to dinner and I reported the matter to Kin' Lee who wanted to re- ciprocate.

"Mr. Campbell's

Kindness"

So it was due to Mr. Campbell's kindness to you' that you started inviting Europeans from Goverti- ment Departments? — Yes.

And it is a strange coincidence that the people you invited were connected with contracts you were doing?--It was not because: that.

of

I did not say it was because of Can you tell me why Kin Lee that, I merely said it was a should invite the whole staff of strange coincidence. Well, now the

Depart-that you have told us that you had ment? - Since Mr. Campbell been to Mr. Campbell's dinner and had invited me to a dinuer, I re- had met him at another, do you ported the matter to Kin Lee and still Say you are not a social they decided to invite the whole friend of Mr. Campbell's?-Be- staff.

Very nice of them. So, because Mr. Campbell invited you to a dinner in his own house, Kin Lee decided to invite the whole staff of the Water Works? Yes.

www

Is Kin Lee doing any work for the Water Works Department? Yes sir, we are doing the Eastern Filter Bed Scheme.

How much is that worth?-- About $250,000.

Any other work?--Yes, but that has already been completed.

cause he had invited me out to dinner, it does not follow I am a personal friend of his.

Witness was then told he would not be required further during to- day's session but that he would be informed by the "Secretary of the Commission should he be wanted at a later stage.

Wife Called

Next witness called was To Lai Chong, wife of last witness, and she told the chairman that they

You got this Filter Bed contract before or after you gave the din-had been married ten years. per? I cannot remember

About Same Time

Well, try to remember.---I can- not remember what month.

How many months ago?-About four months ago.

How many months ago did you get the contract?-About the same time.

So you did not have any appe- The dinner was given about the tite? I was the only Chinese in same time you got the contract, the party and I felt uncomfortable, but you cannot remember before

Now, having attended this din- or after?--Yes.

You live in Hong Kong?—Yes. I understand you have a trans- portation company---Yes.

You are the sole proprietress? Yes,

Tell the Commissioners how you came to form the Company.

Witness said that first of all a person who had been in the trans- portation business, and who was short of capital, approached her to form a company.

Who Is this person?—A named Pun So.

man

When was it that he approach-

asked me to start such a line of business.

ner did you not return the hos- Did you sub-contract any parted you?-Some time last year he pitality? Since I

invited of the work?-Yes, for carrying personally I never thought of the earth etc.

that.

was

Anybody do it on your behalf? -I myself had never paid for any

dinners.

NO COMPROMESE

with Style

As rigid as United States Army uniform regulations are the style speci- fications met by our new For- tune Shoes.

$1950

Have you got the right to sub- contract?-It has been our sys- tem of working over several tens of years. It we are not allowed to sub-let we will not be able to Anish the work.

In other words you are not a contractor, in the strict sense of the word?We sub-let only the labour. We supply the material

That is not true. You sub-con- tract all the tunnel work, dont you? Yes,

Under

did

what firm name Pun So work?-The business be- longed to his father.

What-Arm name did his father use?-Pun Cho Kee.

What was his father's name?- do not know.

I

Ever seen him in your life?—

No.

Furnished Capital

Well then, tell us what happen- ed. This man asked me to s'art

Well then, don't make state-the business and I desired to do ments that are not true

50.

He asked me to furnish the

The same system is followed in capital. the Water Works scheme.

You have written contract from Government?--Yes.

Is there anything in that con- tract that allows you to sub-con- tract? I cannot remember,

Well, go back and look it up. Now, to return to the party What party, sir?

The party in the Golden City Restaurant. What time did it fin- ish? About 12 midnight.

How much did it cost? About $80.

Brought Own Wine

Only $80?--We brought our own wine.

And how much did that cost? About $30.

So you drank only $30 worth of wine?-1 am not sure, but that is only a rough estimate of mine.

I think a fairer estimate would be $300. Not as much as that, sir,

Has Kin Lee given another par- ty since that one? Yes. About a week later,

Who did he ask? The Port De Evelopment people.

Is that part of the PWD.? Yes, sir. Pr

Why did he invite them? We Staler Fisker || wave, dinners every year and it depends whether we want to in-. vite

Europeans or Chinese

The New FORTUNE Shoo

Port Development

Did you give it to him?--Yes. How much?-----$5,000.

Where did you get it from?———My father gave it to me.

་

Where is your father?-He died four or five years ago.

When did he give you

the money then?-Before he died.

Where did you keep it?-I kept it myself.

In the house?--Yes, Right. So when this man asked you for capital you gave it to him? Yes.

You call your firm the Wun Tung Transportation Co,?--Yes.

How many lorries did you buy? | --I had no desire to buy any lor- ries.

How did you do business then? had no desire to buy any lor- ries.

Well then, since your company had no lorries. what was the need for the $5,000?To meet ex- penses.

What expenses? To pay sub- contractors and workmen,

| Sub-contractors?———Yes.

• What do you mean by sub-con- tractors?—I mean sub-contractors for the removal of the earth.

Did you get this contract from vour, husband?—Yes.

Another Firm

You know Kwong Wing Yes.

Is that your husband's firm?--

I am asking you why you asked No. My firm.

the Port Development staff Have Is that another firm of yours you a contract with them? Yes, then? Yes. for repair work. --

What does that firm do? Also You remember, who were there, transportation work. at the names of the people? Al-And had they also got a con though. I was present, I was not in tract from your husband for the charge of this work, so I did not removal of earth in. Kowloon?---- know their names.

Were there any, European?-

They were all Europeans.

Mr. Campbell there?—No, What was the next party Kin

Yes,

Are you the sole proprietress of that? Yes. MY MA

What capital did, you invest in that? The Kwong Wing ind Wan

The LTD two parties he gave this year some time I decided to give up the

Lee gave? Those were the only Tung, are the same business. Attor

Last year? Yes, but all the Wan Tung, desa

guests were Chinese

When was that?I think somo

So you started inviting Euro- time this year, in March or April,

"pean guests this yea

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