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Q.--But who are the people who could give us some information?
A.-I am sure I don't know.
Q. Do you think yourself these charges that have been made are true or otherwise?
A. False.
Q.--You think they are false?
A. Yes.
Q.-Don't you know it is a fact men in the position of Overseers have retired with considerable sums of money?
A.-I don't know of any.
Q.-And you don't know any of the Overseers do make money?
A.-No, I don't.
Q.--Have you felt at all afraid the Chinese might make charges against you on account of your unpopularity amongst them?
A.-No.
Q.--Have you felt yourself that you are more unpopular than other Overseers?
A.—No, I don't know that I have, I have always insisted on the Contractor doing his work in a proper manner, but I don't know why I should be unpopular amongst
them.
Q. Well, it is no discredit if you are.
A.-It has never been reported to me.
Q.-Mr. PRICE informs us, some Contractor had said that if you were going to look after a road he would put so much more on the contract price. It is not the least discreditable to you.
A.-No. I insist in the work being done well. When work is done by contract
I insist on the contract being carried out.
Q-What is it these men would like to do if you did not look after them?
A.-I suppose they would slight their work.
Q.-In what way? Suppose you were absent two or three days, or for a fortnight
what would you expect to find when you get back?
A.-That the work was slighted to some extent.
Q.-In what particulars?
A. In the general construction of the work; it would be badly put together.
Q.-On roads, for instance, what would they do?
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A.-Well, they cannot slight the making of a road much; it is more in masonry or wood work, where they might use bad material; but in the making of a road they could not slight it much, unless they were surfacing it with lime, concrete or broken stone; then they might probably use bad material to some extent.
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