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Mr. Osborne. ---Is that legitimate?
A. He is a Government servant.
Dr. Hartigan.—With regard to vegetables supposing you spend money on the New Territory the guilds may square the people on the New Territory before they bring over the products. Do you think anything of that sort goes on with regard to beef coming from Canton district?.
A.—I have heard sundry rumours of people who put up prices and I have heard that several Europeans have been interested in the beef trade here, I have also seen something in the papers about it, but I have never had any actual evidence.
Q.-Have you of your own knowledge any idea of the price of a beast up in Lien Chau or any of these places? Can you give us any idea of the money that is put into the farmer's fists for his cattle on the fields ?
A.-I could find out if the Government instructed me to do so.
Mr. Osborne.--Would you have to go up there to find out?
A.-I would send some one. I will tell you a reason why I think there is a great deal in what you say. Some time ago I was anxious to buy a few cattle on my own account with the idea of breeding and I wanted something from a particular district. The breeders said they would bring them down to me at very much less price than I could buy them here but they seemed very anxious that I should not send a man there to buy. It seemed to me that they were probably buying at a very much lower price and did not want me to find out.
Dr. Hartigan.—The men who bring them down are the butchers' men?
A-Sing Kee is the biggest man and the other man is Tung Wing,
Q-Sing Kee told us yesterday, if I recollect aright, that the man who collected and brought these cattle to him was not his man or agent?
A.-Sing Kee would tell you anything. I am quite sure of that except in the case of the cattle from Hoifung. These are brought down by the owners themselves.
Mr. Francis. The impression given by Sing Kee was that the men who brought the cattle to Canton were middlemen. They sold them to middlemen in Canton who brought them up here.
Dr. Hartigan. Do you believe that Sing Kee is the real man at the head of that stall?
sales ?
A. I don't know.
Q-Is he able to value cattle?
A.—Yes, he is a very good judge of cattle.
Q.—As far as you think he is not the man?
A. He may be a go-between.
Mr. Francis.-Which is supposed to be the Hongkong Butchery?
A. A man named Campbell, I believe.
Q-Does this man Campbell work in the Market and look after the meat and
A.I have not seen him lately.
Dr. Hartigan. You said as far as you believed, there was an unlimited supply. Can you give us any reason for that?
A. They have always been very careful at the Depôt.
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