16,292. Did you ever hear that spoken of?-No; I never heard about anything of that kind.
16,293. Did you never hear the men talk among themselves about that matter?-No.
16,294. What do you think would happen if you did not go down at once to the agent's shop and pay your account whenever you got your money at the Custom House?-So far as I know, I don't think anything would happen at all.
16,295. Do you think the agent would look after you?-I have been due things myself for about a year but he never looked after me. That was before I was paid at the Custom House.
16,296. Then you had settled with the agent in office on that occasion?-Yes; and left a balance due.
16,297. Were you due that balance to the agent for twelve months afterwards?-Yes.
16,298. Did the same agent get you a berth in a Greenland ship in the following year?-No; I left that agent and went to another for that year.
16,299. Did that other agent take the balance over and become responsible for it?-Yes; it was brought into the next agent's books.
16,300. Who was the agent who took over your debt in that way?-I was once due an account in that way to Mr. George Reid Tait, and I afterwards found it in Mr. Leask's books.
16,301. Did you not know of that until you found it in Mr. Leask's books at settlement?-I knew I was due the account.