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Q.—Still you would avoid a man whom you thought was going to bankrupt?
A. Yes.
Q.-Does it often happen you have to avoid the lowest tender?
A. No, rarely. I don't think I can remember a case in which we have had to avoid the lowest tender. I have known of one or two cases in which I only just escaped it by a very close margin.
Q. How many tenders do you generally get for the work?
A.—I cannot remember how many we got for the Sanitarium. I should think five would be about the average.
Q.-And would these five, in different works be pretty much confined to the same little set of men?
A. Yes. I could name four or five men I should expect to tender for any work.
Q.-Would you name those men?
A.—I am speaking from limited experience. One man is ATING. He is now the Contractor for the Engineers and is the successor to HING KEE and PANG YIK. Another man is Yow ACHING, then YEE KEE, and ATAN. I cannot remember any other name. One does not carry these names in one's head.
Q.—Of these, all but the first are Government Contractors. You have looked, I suppose at the Government works, that is, you have noticed them?
A. Yes. I have, in a passing.
Q.-How does the general style of work compare with that carried on by the Royal Engineers?
A.-I think it is very good.
Q.-Have you ever had any opportunity of noticing the prices paid?
A.-No; I know nothing of that.
Q. What supervision have you with regard to the works carried on by the Royal Engineers?
A.-First of all there is the Superintending Engineer, who has charge of the whole district; then it is divided amongst the Officers junior to him, myself and brother Officers, and under us there are military foreman of works.
Q.-How many of these military foremen are there?
A.-At present there are four.
Q.-Mr. FLEMING told us yesterday that these military foremen (Sergeants he called them) regard their position as being worth £400 a year here, that is to say that all the advantages they get are worth what £400 a year paid down to them in this Colony would be. Would you say that statement is correct?
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