19, 1558.]
The Bonghong Government Gazette.
INARDO D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Chief Clerk in
al Scoretary's Office-Called in and examined.
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Solicitor in matters relating to the Opium businges on the 4th March. I had not retained him; there was no under- standing between him and me, that he was not to act against me until he heard from me. Before I talked to Mr Parsons about the retainer, I did tell him I wanted him to act as my Attorney in the matter. I declare I did not engage Mr Do you recollect Dr Bridges calling you into Parsons to act for me in any way at all concerning the opium Jonial Secretary's Office after the signature ?
Do you recollect, that on the 25th March last, iskwong and Mr Hoey executed a bond to the Gov- at connected with the Opium Monopoly.
s.—Yes. I was present.
-Yes.
What occurred?
--Dr Bridges stated that he was going to be retain- Chun-tai-kwong as Counsel, and he desired that I should itness to the following words," That in matters where divernnient was concerned, he (Dr Bridges) had nothing as long as he held the Office of Acting Colonial Secre- Dr Bridges repeated these words twice to Chun-tai- Nothing more passed. I saw the bond signed by -ti-kwong and Mr Hoey in the presence of Dr Bridges. that after this for some time, and before I was called Bridges and Chun-tai-kwong were together alone in the Secretary's room. I know nothing that occurred at tame however. I was in my own room. I cannot say for Ing they were together. I don't know exactly when left, and therefore I cannot say at all how long Chun- wong was alone there with Dr Bridges, there might be ta quarter-of-an-hour's interval between the signing of the Land my being called in. I know nothing about Chun- kong paying any money to any one on that day. Chun- wong appeared perfectly satisfied with what Dr Bridges d to him, and left immediately afterwards. CHUN-TAI-KWONG,-Examination continued. Is answer to the Chairman, I paid the $400 to Dr res's comprador, at Dr Bridges's house on the 12th the 24 Chinese month-the day of the fire. It was the afternoon before lamp-light; I think I had been up at crament Offices on that day, I think to sign the second There, Dr Bridges's comprador told me the fee for the her was to be $400. I don't know exactly on what day A me so; I think two or three days at the most before I the money. I don't know exactly where it was that he ime. so.
I think the comprador's place. I mean Dr es's house. [Corrects himself.] It was on the Queen's I met the comprador by accident, and then I asked and he said, "I think $400." I asked no one else how bit was to be; but paid the $400 on the day I have men- had only seen the comprador once before-about ce or four days before-at my office, where the comprador come to see Achew, who was one of my sureties afterwards. Held me who the comprador was. I did not enter upon Busness conversation with the comprador.
n.
Is ansicer to Mr Deut,-I cannot give any particular reason *** I took for granted that the fee was certainly $400, when View so little of the comprador, only that I knew he was e comprador. I said to Dr Bridges, I think your fee is , and paid him in notes. I cannot tell by referring to my s when the $400 were paid, because our previous pay- ts connected with the Opium Farm were entered as on 1st April, the day when the Opium Farm business really
By the Chairman,-I understood that what Dr Bridges was for the money was, that he was to be generally retained me, and to give me general advice in matters connected the opium grant. I forgot to ask about the fees on briefs. I not know I should have to pay then, until Mr Stace me so some time afterwards. I think I had some idea I should have to pay fees with briefs. I expected that the $400 Dr Bridges was to write letters and documents, Bridges did draw for me a power of attorney, a revoca- of a license to Hoey, and revocation of the power of ey, I don't expect to have to pay for them; consider such payments covered by the $400. 19 Me Dent,—I have often been to a Solicitor; I had never ed a Barrister before. I went to Mr Stace instead of Parsons (to whom I had spoken before), because Dr yes when I said what Solicitor shall I go to, said, “you Better go to Stace." Dr Bridges told me I must have an mey; I did not tell him I had been to Mr Parsons. I 1 correct what I said yesterday. I meant to say I first to Mr Parsons ten days before the 13th March, i.e. the March. I also wish to correct another matter as to dates. Erst time I thought of the monopoly was twenty days te the time for tendering was to expire (13th March), ely, about 21st February.
In weer to the Chairman.-I am certain I did not call on rsons to talk purposely about this business; I went to other business. I do not consider that Mr Parsons lave acted wrong if he had acted against me as a
monopoly. If Mr Parsons says I did, he is mistaken.
On
In answer to Mr Dent,-I did not think that the fact of Dr Bridges being Colonial Secretary as well as a Barrister would be of greater advantage to me than if I had engaged any other barrister. Many Chinamen may think so; I do not. the day when Hoey asked me whether I had not said that I had paid $400 to Dr Bridges as a cumshaw, he (Hoey) did not tell me he had seen the Attorney General.
ATTORNEY GENERAL,—Recalled,
In answer to the Chairman,—The hour of the day when Hoey left me on the day when he made his statement was or 2.30 P.M. I state this from recollecting that between I calculated that Hoey being a slow writer might have just It time to write to the government offices before 3 P.M. was in my opinion certainly before his meeting with Chun-tai- kwong, because he told me he was going to see him, and he thought he had better defer writing to the governor till after the meeting.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER,—Called in and ex- amined by the Chairman.
I was
I was present by the Acting Colonial Secretary's request in his office when Chun-tai-kwong was questioned by him regarding the letter of the Attorney General, in which certain statements were made as to what the opium monopo- list had done and said in reference to the payment of $400 to Mr Bridges. I did not know what was the object of my being asked to come to the Acting Colonial Secretary's room. present unwillingly, and when the matter was explained to me, I said I thought the matter ought not to be entered on in the absence of the Attorney General, "as it would be trying him I was over-ruled by the Acting Colonial Secre- in his absence." tary and the Surveyor General (who was present) because as they said I was merely asked to be present as a witness to hear the Opium Monopolist's denial of the assertion contained in his letter. Mr Caldwell was there when I first came in, and Chun-tai-kwong of course; Mr Hoey came in afterwards. To the best of my recollection the monopolist denied the truth of everything about the cumshaw; he admitted that he had said Dr Bridges was a clever man, and could make or unmake a law, and do what he liked with the Governor. He also said he had paid $400 at Dr Bridges's house, and that he should probably have to make it $1000. There were present when I first came in the Chinaman (ie, the monopolist), Mr Cald- well, the Colonial Secretary, and the Surveyor General. Mr Hoey said that some of the facts stated in the Attorney General's letter were not true. He also said, that he consi- dered whatever he had told the Attorney General was privi- leged as having been communicated in professional confidence. He did not use these words, but that was the effect of his
statement.
THE SURVEYOR GENERAL.-Called in and examined. By the Chairman.-I was present when the Opium 'Mo- nopolist and Mr Hoey were questioned in the Colonial Secretary's Office as to certain statements made in a letter from the Attorney General. Mr Caldwell was present, the Treasurer, Chun-tai-kwong, and subsequently Mr Hoey. I came by the request of Dr Bridges to hear the two latter examined in reference to some serious charges, which he told me had been made against him. I heard the Attorney General's letter read. Chun-tai-kwong denied having paid the $400 at the office. He said he had paid it, but denied that he told Hoey he paid at the office, or that he had said anything about a "cumshaw." He admitted that he said that Dr Bridges was a clever man, and could make a law and tear it to pieces. I am certain he confessed this, and he also said, "there is no harm in that surely." Hoey was very excited, and at first disinclined to answer at all. He said that his confidence had been abused; he had told what he heard to the Attorney General as his Counsel. He denied that he had told the Attorney General anything about a cumshaw. He said that it was true Chun-tai-kwong had told him be paid the $400 at the Government offices, and that Chun-tai-kwong had said that Dr Bridges could do what he liked with the Governor, and pull a law to pieces, and put it together again. He denied several times that he said anything to induce the Attorney General to think that Dr Bridges had noted in any way un- becoming a gentleman or government officer. Dr Bridges told me that he had been into the Governor, who had refused to interfere in the matter.
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