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Witness. I think we had better have it as a law for the coolies and not for the
masters.
The Chairman.--That won't work because you could not depend upon the masters. They would employ whom they liked and there is no good registering coolies if people are at liberty to employ unregistered coolies.
Mr. Badeley.--Only the scallywags would be registered.
Mr. Wilcox.--There is a large section of the employers would not take the trouble unless registration were compulsory.
Witness.I would not mind the trouble.
The Chairman.-Suppose you gave a limit of three days to have a coolie in your employ registered?
A.-There is always a risk with coolies because they change so much.
J
Mr. Wilcox. They would not change. They would be bound down. At present, a great deal of trouble arises from the fact that coolies interchange-they go from one employ to another, act as substitute, or go to a licensed vehicle and come back under some pretence or other, and in many cases, where employers employ four coolies, they don't notice the absence of one. That would not happen, I think, if they were registered. They would not care to risk it.
Mr. Badeley.--We must have registration compulsory on both sides. People who have good servants without registration would stick to them. Only the bad servants would be registered.
The Chairman.-I think you and other members of the community would be perfectly willing to undergo the trouble?
A. I would not mind the trouble a bit.
Mr. Wilcox.--So soon as it got into working order, I think you would find the registered coolies would become a body by themselves and would look down upon those who were not registered. They would have far better employment and would get the outsiders kept outside. They would make a coolies corporation of it, so to speak. Have you heard any complaints among the German community of insolence on the part of coolies?
A. Sometimes they are very insolent.
Q.-Have you noticed that they have been more insolent to their employers of late years than formerly?
A.—I have not noticed it, but I have heard it. I know of lots of families who have had trouble, especially on the Peak and Magazine Gap.
Mr. Wilcox.In the neighbourhood of Queen's Gardens, I know changes have been very frequent.
Witness Mr. Lauts has had a lot of trouble. At present he has got no coolies. Our house is very comfortably situated. Of course, the coolies don't get much work to do and we don't have any trouble.
Q. Have you heard of any cases of employers being temporarily boycotted?
Yes.
A.-
Q. Lately?
A.-Mr. Lauts told me of a case in which a coolie was given in charge of the Po- lice and they could not get any coolies after.
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