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Q. They have more cases to deal with?
A. Yes. I consider they have great opportunities.
Q.-For squeezing?
A. Not more, say, than the Police would have under the same circumstances.
The CHAIRMAN.-You have been acquainted, of course, with the law affecting the protection of women and children in this Colony for many years?
A. Yes, as Magistrate. I have been Magistrate since 1880.
Q.-You have also been Acting Registrar General ?
A. For four months only.
Q-You have been acquainted with the law as such?
A. The law was not in force when I was Registrar General.
Q.-Not the present law, but a law dealing with the question of women and girls? A.-There was a law regulating emigration and the licensing of brothels law also.
Q.-There was a commission appointed to enquire into that also?
A. Yes.
Q.-Speaking as one who has had experience of those matters do you consider that the protection of women and children is greater now than it used to be?
A. I am quite unable to say.
Q.-Unable to say?
A. Yes.
Q.-Even speaking from the records of the Magistracy are you unable to say that the cases now are not as frequent as they used to be?
A. I should say that there is always a certain amount going on and it depends upon the activity of the Police or whoever may be Captain Superintendent at the time being, whether there is any improvement.
Q.--You don't know whether there is any improvement?
A.--I do not know.
Q. Do you consider that respectable Chinese gentlemen engaged in the work of achieving this improvement ought to be encouraged in their efforts to co-operate with the Government ?
A. Certainly, I think we ought all to co-operate, we are all interested in that.
Q. To what extent do other nationalities show their interest in putting a stop to the evil?
A.----I do not know of any way in which they can.
Q.-You know that the Chinese have formed a Society here for the prevention of kidnapping?
A. I do not know that that is the sole object. It is kidnapping among other things I believe.
Q.--Do you consider that that is a thing to be encouraged or not?
A. If it can be done constitutionally, yes. I consider it most important that whatever is done should be constitutional, that is to say, done within the lines of what is recognised to be the regular constitutional method of doing things.
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