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PUBLIC HEARINGS by members of the Commission of Inquiry into the Immigration Office were completed this morning at the Supreme Court, when three further witnesses were called.
First new witness was Dr. S. N: Chau and others were Mr. J. M. da: Rocha, Hon. Consul for Costa Rica, and Won gTong, whose name was put on the black list by Mr. Forrest.
The first member of the public, to give evidence this morning was Dr. S. N. Chau, of the Hong Kong Sanatorium, who corroborated, the contents of his letter to the Com- mission,
The letter was as follows:
Peace "I am a Justice of the and I possess a certificats of Re- sidence issued by the Immigra- tion Office.
On Monday, March 10,1 re- turned from Macao by the s.s. King Shan I and other passen- gers in possession of similar cer- lientes proceeded to the gang- way but we were told by a Chin- ese Immigration Officer that we would not be permitted to dis- embark until all passengers who had passports had landed.
"I and others with me had ac- cordingly to wait for at least 20 nitnutes whilst those with pass- ports left the ship.
The examination of the pass- ports was done by a European Immigration Officer in the saloon and when I was allowed to land my certificate was examined by the Chinese Immigration Officer at the gangway so that it would have been quite possible for per- sons with certificates
such as mine to have disembarked at the same time as those with pass- ports.'
More Complicated
Replying to Mr. Forrest, Dr. Chau said that he would not doubt that the Immigration officials were under instructions to ex- amine passports first and Immi- gration permits afterwards,
He also did not think the Entry Permits of passengers were ex- amined at all, since there was only one Chinese Immigration Officer at the gangway.
Dr. Chau agreed with Mr. For- rest that passports were more complicated than Immigration cer- tificates and that it would take a longer time to examine pass ports than immigration permits.
Mr. Forrest: "At the time you were prevented from going ashore did you know that the Immigra→ tion permits were all examined?"
-"No."
Dr. Chau added that he was told by Sir Robert Kotewall that those in possession of passports and Immigration Permits would be allowed to land at the same time.
Mr. J. M. da Rocha of Messrs J. M. da Rocha: & Co., sald:-
I am Honorary Consul for Costa Rica in Hong Kong:
ac-
|
"Were there many chairs in my
office?" "There must have been for you invited me to sit in one
"Get Out":
of them."
expect?
***What treatment did you I expected you to say you were busy, and to ask me to wait outside, but instead, you said 'Get out","
"Did I not say, 'Please wait out- side'.”—“No, you said, 'Got out. and see a clerk'."
"Db. you. remember that I was wearing glasses? No."
February. In addition I wished. to obtain an entry permit for her Chinese, nurse who was to
"If I say. I was wearing glasses company hor. The matter was at that time, would you accept my urgent as the object of the visit statement that: when wearing wag to. visit a nephew Mrglasses I could: see a person and Michael Dugy who was danger-yet, not recognise him?" --"No. I ously ill in Amoy Hospital,
was close enough for you, to re- cognise."
"Get Out"
bad
Would you accept my state- ment that I have a very memory as regards faces?"—"No."
"Not Priority" "Would you accept my state-
Mr. Rocha said that the inter- view was with Mr. Walter Han- ming Chen and that "this same gentleman wrote a memo to the General Agent" regarding the
I saw Mr. M. W Lo go into Mr. Forrest's offic-the door of vhich is not marked "private" and in fact there are a number rf clerks working there-but on
eeing me the Immigration Officer ment that I did not know who without enduring the purpose of you were this morning until just my visit, told me very roughly now?"-"You said 'Good. morn- to "get out" and to see the: Chin-ing' to me and I replied! 'Good
Morning.” ese clerk.
Accordingly I went to a Chinese "You expected priority?"-"Not clerk in the General Office, and priority. I expected considera- although I told him that my ap-tion. I expected the clerk to take as Consul' for Costa plication was, urgent and informed my word:
Rica, of the urgency of the case.” nim of the fact that E was a Consul he insisted. upon proof of pro- the urgency and I had to duce a letter showing that. the circumstances I had related above were facts. He then stated that he would treat the matter as urgent and that if I returned: the tiext day the visa for my wife's passport would be ready, but that with regard to the nurse's entry permit, I must go to see the "Gen- eral Agent" at За Wyndham it.
In spite of this he had to wait Street to whom he wrote a memo for an hour before it was avail- as to the urgency of the matter. able.
I then left and sent my clarit Agent: he to see the Gerieral
at was informed
the Agent's office that he would have to pay "It must have been lying there a fee of $2 (being the statutory all the time I was kept waiting,' fee) and in addition $1 for his, declared Mr. Rocha, explaining. the General Agent's, services in that he saw it taken from a bun- connection with the matter, and [dle which was on the desk "all that he was to return the next the time I was there."
day.
19
case.
Kept Waiting Referring to the Entry Permit, Mr. Rocha said that the certificate must have been ready when he arrived in the afternoon to obtain
The certificate was taken from a bundle which he saw lying on a desk when he entered the office.
"After keeping me waiting for an hour it was produced on my insistence," he declared.
Questioned by Mr. W. H. Chen, Mr. Rocha replied: "you were cer-, tainly, very, courteous-to-me:"
Waited One Hour
On February
my clerk where he was told that the per- returned to Wyndham Street
mit: would not be available for at least seven days and accordingly, clerk my instructions, my
Mr. Wong Tong.. Commissioner asked for and received back the [for Overseas Affairs of the Chung- application.
king Government; said thatt in his
On
Another Wilness-
I then went to the Immigra- letter to Mr. H. K.. Woo, one of → tion Office and saw the chief the members of the Commission, clerk to whom I related what had he expressed his surprise at a no- tification in the Chinese Press on happened and he then marked the application form. "urgent" February 28 by the Immigration and said I could have the permitrong's qualifications to guarantee Officer stating that Mr. Wong that afternoon.
applications were no longer ra- In the afternoon I went backcognised. He queried the Immi- to the Immigration Office: and gration Officer's authority for in- after I had waited for over an serting such a notice- which in ef- On January 8 last 1 wrote to hour the clerk. produced the form fect meant that: he was not a pro- the Immigration Officer submit-of permit from a bundle where per person to guarantee applica- ting five applications for entry it had been lying apparently tions. permits with my guarantee of the applicants' bona fides. On January 10, I received the official rd ceipt for the applications. On January 20.
me.
completed, all the time: He ask In January the General Agent ed me for a fee of $2 which was established and was given refused to pay. showing him the exclusive rights for providing pho- General Agent's receipt, but astographs for Immigration certift- not having heard he insisted, I paid under protest cates. anything from the Immigration and the clerk then threw the per- Mr. Wong said that he wrote to Officer I went there and saw Mrmit on the counter in front of the Immigration Officer about all Weill, an Assistant Immigration
this but had still not received a Offeer, and presented the receipt. On the following day my clerk reply. After about an hour's search he went to the General Agent's In reply to Mr. Forrest, Mr. informed me that he could not ofte and recovered the $2 which Wong said that the notification.in- trace the applications. I there- he had paid as a statutory fee, serted in the Press by Mr. For- dpon sent in my Consul's, visit but he was refused refund of rest made the public excited and ing card to Mr. Forrest and the $1 paid in addition, although indignant. Following the ap- was then brought into his office no services had been rendered pointment of the General Agent, He: asked me whether I was Con by the Agent.
Mr. Wong wrote to the Secretary sul "air carriero" and I replied:
for Chinese Affairs, as Chairman that I was Honorary Consul for
of the Chinese Photographers' Costa Rica. I then told him the
The Chairman to Mr. Rocha: "Guild: facts and he asiced me to make take it that as far as the first visit"|| fresh applications and to cancel regarding the five applications la Newspaper Article his receipt for the original ones, concerned, you have no complaint He further failed rther in future to hand all applications to him personally:
"Engaged"
Fat all?"No."
Mr. Forrest then referred WIE- "As regards your second appllness to an article in a Chinese cation, your complaint is one or in newspaper and asked if he had any A few days later I handed civility on the part of Mrs For part in It pointing out that the fresh applications to the Immirest?" "Yes, the treatment to me article was liable to incite certain gration Officer in person. He instructed a clerk to stamp them Consul, for Costa Rica was not people. Witness said that he, and
im not think so. expected." "urgent” `and” told me to call for Mr. Forrest to Mr, Rocha: them 'the following day. I did | you said you say Mr. Mi so and received the five entry | go into my office. You permits.
presumed that I was, en
On the February 18, I went to "Yes, but I decided to go the Immigration. Cufice to obtain | your own previous atterrie a visa tormy, wife's passport; as | me to "Come in and ser she wished to go urgently to future. Besides - Hero | kujangau on MUSICremor" I words indicatiria:"Pri
which was sailing on them: 22nd your door:"
Mr Forest: Were you aware that "Ma Hobia's solicitors had written to the newspaper aboiat the article I don't know!! e
"Is this part of your article ------ 146 KMr, Forrest handed in a transla-
tion and pointed out the phras Pag, to what is behind the scene on can be imagined)
on
-(Continued: