19
was no such law in the Chinese Empire. Any one can dredge. The line burners pay the taxes. on behalf of the gatherers and deduct the amount from what they pay the gatherers. I used to get 1.2 mace pertau befors the Company started. After the Company started the net price is 1 mace and we lost & candareens per teu. The line burners refuse to pay a higher price. There will be loss to the shell gatherers, at a lower price. I am obliged to pay a higher price to a line burner at Ping Chav.
I did not pay higher at Kwai Chung. I had to pay 1.4 to Cheung Chau gatherers last year as I was under contract as a lime burner. I got $120 net a year for shell gathering before the Company started and efter -wards about $75. I am a lime burner now. I lost over $1,500 last year: everyons lost last year. There was a hindrance in every line burners shop last year.
I do not want to get compensation but only the licence fee removed All the 19 junks and foxis all joined together in forwarding the peti- tion. The petition was made by the shell gatherers, The line burners suffer also, because of the difficulty in getting goods. There woza 19 large junks reduced to ? now. There were between 30 and 40 small junks reduced to little more than 20 now. As they know the regulations of the Company they think they would increase the taxes to
candarsens.
We were there gathering before the Oclony of Hongkong existed. If it is wanted to establish such a ans les it is better to get all the meu to cors to bid and give to the highest bidder. Can we transfer the shells from other places to Ping Chau? The Company is a hindrance in collect- ing abells.
When we have not sufficient money to pay the taxes the Company will not allow the junks to come to Ping Chau. If we have money we need not gether shells. The Company do not give much credit. The seccad hin- drance is we must get e licence from the Company before we can dredge and the Company sometimes refused such licence. This is sc caly where the line burners do not pay the taxes. The Compeny drive some of the junks back to Canton. The lime burgare complain that the Company prevent the goods coring to Ping Chou and the expenses of the lire burners ert
7
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.