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Mr. Maitland. These two men having a monopoly will have a lot to do with keeping up the prices?
A. They may have.
Dr. Hartigan. Can you suggest anything to encourage butchers to start this business and if there is any reason why they can't do it, tell us what it is?
A.-It is the want of capital.
Q.--But these two men say they have no capital at all?
A.-Oh, they all say that. These two men have lots of capital. You get excellent meat from them, but you have to pay a big price for it.
Dr. Hartigan. They told us there was no Butchers' Guild.
Mr. Ladds.There is a combination if there is not a guild.
Q.-So that it is really the want of capital that prevents other people from going into the business?
A.-I think so.
Mr. Francis.--But there is surely plenty of capital locked up in Hongkong. The Chinese are always ready and willing to put money into any project which promises profit. I should not think there is any difficulty in getting money to set up opposition to these two men if it is wanted?
A.-It is very hard to tell the profits. Of course if they can afford to sell to one body meat at 7 and 8 cents a pound then there must be very large profits.
Mr. Francis. Perhaps they can afford to supply the Military, with meat at cost price as the contract is for the entire rations.
Mr. Marshall.-The Garrison is paying 10.75 cents now.
Mr. Ladds. I thought they were paying more now. I was told they were paying
12 cents this
year.
Dr. Hartigan. Are these men, who you say are making no profit, making a living?
A.I think you misunderstood me, they all make a good profit.
Q. Are they paying higher or lower rents than Mr. Sing Kee? A.-They pay higher rents than Sing Kee most of them.
Mr. Osborne.-Sing Kee told us that he had been losing so steadily that he was going to give up the business.
paid.
Mr. Ladds.—You want to get the Market Rent books to find out what rents are
Mr. Osborne. We can't find out why it is that only these two men can become large butchers. Can you tell us?
A.--There isn't very much scope for others. One man gets one contract and the other man gets the other. There is not much left for any one else.
Mr. Osborne. Do you think any good could be done by having an intelligent European who speaks Chinese to go to the sources of supply, or a responsible Chinese to go to the sources of supply and find out the original prices of the cattle and where they come from?
A.—In that case it would be necessary to send a European because if you send a Chinaman he would tell everybody what he had come for. I could find it out easily enough if the Government would give me the necessary authority.
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