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Witness. I came here quite unprepared and had no idea what questions you would ask me. You mentioned about gentlemen living up the Hill above Bowen Road. There is Mr. Grote. He also mentioned the other day about having trouble with his coolies.
The Chairman.-Do you remember the old Registration Ordinance being in force ?
A.-Yes.
Q. Did you engage coolies under it?
A.-Do you mean about twenty-five years ago? Oh, yes, there were, so far as I remember, little red slips and the coolies had to go to the Registrar and get these filled
up.
Mr. Wilcox. Their certificates were not red, but they may have had red slips to go with. But you had no more trouble in getting coolies theu than now ?
A.No. You see it was virtually in the infancy of the Colony and it was very easy to get servants.
The Chairman-Do you know what they do in Kiauchau with regard to servants? A.--No, I don't know. Mr. Schoenemann might be able to tell you. He has got rather important business there and he is sure to know.
Q.--Do you know the system in Shanghai ?
A.--No, I have never been in Shanghai but there are so many residents in, the Colony who have been that you will have no trouble in finding out.
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Mr. Badeley. You don't know what reason your coolies gave when they disap- peared? Did they ever tell you why they left?
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A. They don't come and tell me. They are simply not there and another man is in their place. I have asked "What for new man ?" and the reply is
Other man got sick."
Q. I think you said you had registered coolies?
A.-Not coolies. I was thinking then of boys.
The Chairman (reading definition of "Servant" in Ordinance 7 of 1866).--House boy, cook, cook's mate-sounds like Kipling doesn't it--amah, coolie, watchman, gardener, coachman, horse boy and boatman. The definition says nothing about chair- bearers. They were never registered.
Witness.--That Ordinance was not enforced.
20th September, 1901.
ARNOLD FUCHS sworn:-
The Chairman. Mr. Fuchs, how long have you been in the Colony?
A. Since June, 1886.
Q.-Of what firin are you now a member?
A.-Siemssen and Company.
Q.
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Where do you now live?
A.-Barker Road, at the Peak, fourth house on the right, next to Mr. Playfair's.
Q. Do you employ any chair and ricksha coolies?
A. Yes, four coolies.
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