The Chairman.- -What have you
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done in such a case?
A.-I believe it has been found that the most effective plan is to take the stall or shop from the man, and if the man who has informed is a good man and wishes for the place to let him have it. It acts as a sort of reward for giving us information and as a punishment to the man who has sub-let.
Mr. Maitland. Has that been done lately?
A.--Oh yes; there have been several cases lately.
The Chairman.-And is the man who has broken the rules by sub-letting debar- red from getting a stall in the Market again?
A.-No.
Q-When you re-let the stall to the informer what rent do you charge him--the higher rent at which the stall was sub-let to him or the rent paid to the Government?
A. We generally charge him what he was paying. These cases generally come out in this way.
A man comes up and says so and so, the man who rents the stall or shop, is raising his rent. He is unwilling to pay the higher amount and comes and informs us. The practice has been to let the man continue to pay the rent he has been paying.
Q.-The higher rent he has actually been willing to pay?
A. Yes.
Q.-The effect of that is steadily to raise the price of the stalls in the Market?
A. Yes.
Q.-You take advantage of the man having been willing to pay this enhanced rent and charge him it?
A. We look upon it in this way, that if a man has been paying this rent for a year or two he has no ground for complaint.
Mr. Maitland. What is the biggest profit a man has inade by sub-letting?
A. I cannot remember at present. Perhaps $3 or $4, and sometimes $5 or $6.
The Chairman.-I think there have been cases mentioned where a man has paid three or four times the rent charged by the Government?
A.-I should say two or three times as much has been charged occasionally.
try to discourage this as much as we can.
We
Q.-Is there any guarantee when a man takes a stall for the payment of the rent or good conduct, or anything of that sort? Is he secured in any way?
A.-Occasionally we take two or three months' rent in advance.
Q. But there is no guarantee or security?
A.-No; it is open market.
Q. What is the sum realised by the ten Markets in the year?
A.-I cannot tell you. Our annual report for the year would show and
find it in the Gazette.
you will
Mr. Maitland.---Can you tell us what the receipts were for June last year?
A. I have only this year's book here.
Q.-Then give us the amounts for this year.
A. January $3,423.24; February $3,423.24; March $3,448.90; April $3,450.50; May $3,450.50; June $3,445.14.
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