296
when holding the office of Registrar General mentioned to the Chairman of that Committee that there was a great deal of corruption going on. "The men who were on board were 'the men' on the part of the passing Emigrants and that they received heavy bribes in order to pass were never called 'the men' who were on-board.
The Harbour Master has drawn my attention to this statement as he considers it a reflection upon his Department. He has stated that he mentioned it. A special CP Department.
Mr Thomson assures me that he mentioned the matter privately to the Chairman of the Retrenchment Committee at some interview which was not in any way connected with the Committee's enquiries, that he believes corruption does exist though he is incapable of proving it. He considers that the communication was a privileged one and that it should not have appeared.