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what he meant; I thought it was cash, but he told me it was cents. I asked him if he did not get 100 cents for a dollar. He said yes, but a dollar was worth more than 100 cents. I was not aware of that at the time, I asked him how much it was worth. He said 106 to 110 cents. I said, "Do you get paid altogether in this copper money?" He said, "No, we are partially paid in it, but then we have to give away two or three dollars." I said, "Suppose you had $1,000 to receive, how much would you get in this copper money?" He said, "Perhaps we would get $100 to $150." I said, "Would you have to give anything else?" He said, "Yes, two or three dollars and other things besides I give to the shroff." I said, "Now why don't you go and tell the Commission that yourself? I am sure if they knew that and thought it a hardship they would remedy it. You ought to go and tell them." He said no; he would not. And he instanced another matter to me. He said, "I did about $400 worth of works out at Tai-tam, and I was to have received payment for it from Mr. GOULBOURN, I think was the name, some person in the Public Works Office. I know he had notes to pay me and had arranged to meet me at three. I did not arrive then until half-past three and Mr. GOULBOURN had left. He had given instructions to the Portuguese clerk, and he paid the greater portion of it in copper. I thus lost 6 or 10 cents a dollar and had to carry all the copper into town. I said I would complain to Mr. PRICE." Any way, he had to take the copper as I understand.

He was paid here?

Q.-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.

A.-No, out at Tai-tam.

Perhaps it was really at this place. I thought it was out at Tai-tam. I see now it must have been here. But it was a Portuguese, he told me; and he had very little hesitation in telling me about the Portuguese. I asked him to come to the Commission and state what he had told me, but he said no, he would not. I said "It is very hard to remedy a thing if you don't complain of it." I am satisfied you could not induce the man to come here, but I am equally satisfied if any of you gentlemen come to my house he would come, if he was not under observation, and mention the names of these people, but he would not come here to be examined.*

Q.—Hon. A. LISTER.-Then during the time you were in the department itself did any abuse come under your own personal knowledge?

A.-No; indeed I had very little to do with it. I saw very little; in fact, I did not

see anything, whether it was an abuse or otherwise. I was told just to go out here and

there and look at the work. Dozens of times I asked for an office and could not get it.

I had to make an office in my own house. It was very unsatisfactory to me being in the department at all. I was glad to give it up.

Q.-Was your attention called to the Overseers living above their means?

A.-No; I scarcely spoke a dozen words to them while I was here.

Q. Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-How long were you in the department?

A.-A year and a half.

* A Member of the Commission had an interview with this Contractor at Mr. Fleming's office.