CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 650

'é

643

re

E. P. C. 45 Maher states:-

I was on duty at Murray Pier at about 1 p.m. on the 22nd

inst. There is a lamp in the middle of the Pier at the

entrance i.e. level with the Praya wall. There is a space of

about 3 o 4 yards on each side of this lamp. The rieksha was drawn up level with the lamp, and blocking the western entrance to the wharf. I knew it was a private rieksha as the coolies were in uniform, but I did not know whose ricksha it was. One of the ecolies was sitting in the rieksha. Riekshas are not

allowed to remain at the entrance to the pier. They can stand at either side (leaving the entrance to the pier open) or at the opposite side of the road. There were several publie riekshas near the wharf, but they were standing in their proper places. I went up to the coolie who was sitting in the ricksha and told him to move it away. He said in Chinese "mai to" which means "be quiet". I told him several times

to move,

but he seemed very reluctant to do so. One of the other coolies belonging to this rieksha then came up and moved it to the other side of the road. The coolie whom I

assist the other one spoke to in the first instance did not and moved away. When the coolies had got the rieksha on to the other side of the road, they started "skylarking" about, and one of them got hold of half a briek and threw in play at the others. They were dodging around the pillars of the Telegraph office. While skylarking one of them nearly collided with a European lady who was passing. I went across the road and stopped them playing about. About a quarter of an hour afterwards they brought the ricksha back to the lamp again, and blocked up the eastern entrance to the wharf. I was some little distance away at the time, patrolling about the Praya. I then went back to them and told them to move the ricksha back, and place it beside the nearest public risksha,

of the

10.