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Mr. Maitland. You don't know the working of the Guild?
A.--No, you can't find that out.
Mr. Francis.-With reference to this ground-nut oil do you know anything about the former price of it?
A. No, I do not know much about it. It is not sold in the Markets.
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Q. Do you know where the principal source of supply is ?
A.-I believe a great deal of it is made in Canton, but they bring the nuts down from Tientsin.
Mr. Osborne Large quantities of oil come from Shanghai. -
Q. Has there been a considerable increase in the price of that ground-nut oil?
A.
I know it has increased very much, but I can't tell the rate just now.
Q.
Have you any idea of the reason why this increase has taken place ?
A. The cost of labour is the usual answer to all these questions, and living and house rent.
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Q. Do you think the increase in cost of living and house rent bear in reasonable proportion to the increased price ?
A.--No, I think the increased cost of the article has been greater.
Q.--Coming to the question of the beef supply, can you give us the figures of the actual present consumption of cattle in the Colony, say last year?
A.-There were used last year 23,582 head of cattle, 17,353 head of sheep and goats, and 156,292 swine.
Q.-So far as your knowledge and experience goes is there any considerable number of animals killed in the Colony over and above what passes through the legiti- mate channels ?
A.-I don't think there are very many.
Q.-Five per cent, or one per cent.?
A.-I should think one per cent. would be an over-estimate.
Q.-That would mean 230 cattle in a year, about five a week ?
A.—We have no knowledge of what takes place, it is simply conjecture. I know they kill a few on the hillside now and then.
Q.-Sheep?
A. None at all,
Q.-Pigs?
A. Yes. There are lots of pigs killed in the Colony that don't go through the Slaughter-house.
Q.--Of the total number of pigs what proportion comes from the immediate neighbourhood--Hongkong itself and old Kowloon ?
A. Oh, a very small proportion indeed.
Q-What percentage would you say?
A.-I could not tell the exact figures without referring to my books. It is very trifling.
Q.-Where do the bulk of the cattle come from?
A.-Most of the cattle come from the West and North River districts and Hoi- fung, which is just outside our New Territory.
Q. And the larger supply comes from where?
A.--From the West River.
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