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Mr. Badeley. Fishermen?
A.--Very few of them are fishermen ; you see these ricksha and chair coolies go through special training before they can engage in that work.
Q. Do you think the sanitary regulations here have a tendency to drive up the wages?
A.
Indirectly.
Q. If there were no restrictions as to the number of coolies sleeping in any house, would coolies not come into Hongkong in unlimited numbers?
A. That has got something to do with it. Three or four years ago each man only paid 30 cents a month for his sleeping accommodation, now he has to pay a dollar.
Q.-The accommodation is absolutely limited. There is a certain number of coolie houses and each coolie must have a certain amount of cubic feet and beyond that there is no room for any more. Is that not so?
A. Yes. Before, they used to have as many as they liked on a floor. Now, they only allow ten or twelve to one floor.
WONG LAI FU declared:-
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The Chairman.--Where are you Compradore?
A.-Messrs. Siemssen & Co.
Q. Where is your residence?
A.-At No. 8, Lan Kwai Fong.
Q. Where is that?
A. D'Aguilar Street.
Q. Do you employ private chair and ricksha coolies?
A.-Ricksha coolies.
Q. How many do you employ?
A.-One.
Q. You don't keep a private chair?
A.-No.
Q. How much per month do you pay your ricksha coolie?
A.-Seven dollars per month.
Q-What else do you give him?
A.-Fire and lodging.
Q.-About five years ago, how much did you pay ?
A. The same-seven dollars.
Q.-Have you had the same man all these
years
?
A.- No.
Q.-According to what you say then, there has been no change in the rate of pay?
A.—Well, first of all, I got a coolie for six dollars, but he remained in my service for some time, and I increased his pay to seven dollars.
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