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Q.-But there are as good fish still in China as there were before?
A. That is so. Sir.
Q. As regards the increased cost of living, what percentage do you put it down to ?
A.—I think it is over 100°。 in the case of firewood. It is now 16 bundles for a dollar, a few years ago it was something like 33 bundles, so far as I can remember.
Q. What about rice, and pork and dried fish?
A.-Rice, I think, is 80% increase. Formerly one used to get a jar of lamp oil for $1.50 while one is now charged $2.50. If all these little items are jotted down, yon will find there is a great difference now.
Q. If you have thought about this matter, can you tell the Commission what remedies for this state of things have occurred to you as likely to be effective ?
A. If the Government were to provide housing accommodation for the coolies and charge them a fair rental, not allowing the rents to fluctuate but always having the same rental, they would know what they had to pay and could hear and be aware of the conditions on arriving in the Colony. I think that would help greatly.
Q.---Are there any other remedies that you have in mind-any local enactinents that you think could be beneficially passed?
A.--I think registration, Sir. If they were fairly treated on the lines I have in- dicated as to housing, it would be quite fair to ask them to give a guarantee for their good behaviour by being registered.
Q.-Could you give us some details of your scheme of registration if you have thought about it?
A.-It could be ascertained how many coolies would meet the wants of the Colony
to some extent.
Q.-Yes, but what would you einbody in your scheme of registration?
A. I would offer certain wages for certain work and have a classification of ser- vauts of different kinds.
Q.-You would have a classification of servants and have different classes of work, and do you indicate that the wages should be fixed for the different classes?
A. Yes, Sir.
Q. What about making registration compulsory?
A. In that case, Sir, if wages were fixed and were just, and attention paid to their other wants, registered servants only should be allowed to be employed.
Q.-You mean, I suppose, that maximum rates should be fixed?
A. Yes.
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Q. What method do you propose for keeping check over these coolies? For instance, how do you propose to identify them?
A. They innst be photographed, otherwise one would not know them.
Q.-In your experience, is photography a satisfactory and the best means of iden- tifying Chinese that you know of?
A. Yes, Sir.
Q.-Amongst the class of people with whom you associate, Mr. Hanson, do you think there would be any objection to its being made penal for a master to employ an unregistered servant? Have you heard any expression of opinion on that subject ?
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