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Q-Hon, F. B. JOHNSON.-Was he an Overseer, the man who laid out the work?
A.-Oh no,
I laid out the work, but the man sent to assist me was of no use in the world. Then for four or five months I had charge of the new Police Station being built at Kowloon, and the man sent there as an Overseer, BAINS, I believe he is a good and steady man, but he does not know anything at all about it.
Q.-Not qualified to say if the work is good or bad?
A.-He does not understand the plans; he cannot tell you the difference between any timbers; if he has a drawing he does not understand it; he does not know how to lay it out; it is the Contractor who tells him everything; he is simply a dummy there altogether. There are others like him. A man on a large job like that should be a skilful man who could understand what he was doing.
Q.-Hon. A. LISTER.-AS compared then with your trained Sergeants, the Overseers of the department are not equal to them?
A.-None of them I have met.
-What pay do your Sergeants get?
A. Their pay is rather small, I think about 3s. a day, but these men calculate their position as being worth £400 a year, because they have quarters and fuel, and they get a pension, and their wives get free rations, and their children, if they have a dozen or more, get more than they can eat.
Q. And they take their position as being worth £400?
A. Yes, a man with the rank of Quarter-master Sergeant, that is, as being worth what £400 would be in this Colony. At least I saw a man who was getting £300 a year in Japan, and he made a statement shewing his position was worth £400 in Hong- kong. I did not believe it myself, until he made it out in writing.
Q.--Have you any idea, or would you object to tell us if you knew, what it is Mr. FRASER-SMITH is holding up in his paper as his valuable information?
A.-I don't know anything about Mr. FRASER-SMITH or his paper.
Q.-He says he has valuable information. He seems to decline to come and tell
us what it is. Have you any idea what this valuable information may be?
A.-Not the least in the world. I don't think he has any,
if you
my opinion.
Q.-You know something, I think, about a man getting paid in copper, or partly paid in copper?
ask
A.—Yes, I should tell you that story. This man came to me only yesterday, and he also came to me two or three days ago; in fact it was he who originated the letter I wrote to Mr. O'MALLEY. He said this Commission was sitting, and he would be obliged if I would try to get them paid the full amount in silver or notes. I asked him what he meant, and he said he was paid in copper. At the time I did not understand
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