CO129-328 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [1-6] — Page 17

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and the Ping Chau lire-burners. I did not leave off dredging because I took the part of the Sher Shui Po lime burners. I can only don get 5 candareens not. I only dredged at Ping Chau. I could get by dredging taking all weathers into account about 9,000 Tau a year. I did not whow that I could get & candareens net from the Company at Fing Chau after they started. I took out, e fishing licence for my junk. I caid $12 a

year. I have the old licence.

Junk Sun Tax Sing, (6th. witness).

Hong Shing of Tai-kok-taui states:- The name of my junk is Sun

Tak Sing. I am still dredging with it at Fing Chau. I take out a licence. I have been dredging all along. I got 12 cendsreens per tau, before the Company started, net. Mine is a large junk. They pay more for shells from large than smaller junks because we get better shells. Now we get 12 candereens per tau. I stopped dredging for a few acoths at the con- mencement of the Company because the Company rented 8 candareens per Tau

and the lime burners would not buy the shells from ma. I mean the Shar Shui Fo lire burners. I sell now still to the Sher Stul Fo line burners

at 12 candareena per tau net. The line burners caly went the shells col-

lected from that soot because the shells are better than eisewhere. i

have been dredging from the 14th. year Khong But and my fether before me.

We never paid any licence fee to the Chinese Government. I signed the

Fetition asking for coquensation. My foxie ran away because they said

we could not get money enough and I had to stop. I stopped from the 5th.

moon when the Company first started to the 9th. moon last year. There

were about junks dredging in the 29th. year. Flere are 8 dredging now.

ky junk is a Sai Heung junk. There were some other small juake from Shar

Shui Po, but not many. They suffered loss because the Company levied li-

cence fees and they bed no money sufficient. The licence fee is heavier

that the Customs' duty which the fire burners used to pay. before the

Company started my shore was & little acre than $800 a year clear profit.

My shere now is more than 80 tasis for last year. The $800 is for two

shares 1150 each the 20 taels only one shere about $90 because I stopped

working from the 6th, moon to the 9th. moon, a little more than 4 months,

It is not legal for the Chinese Government topharge for gathering shells.