16.
104
the leant of it, remunerative, was brought to my notice; but I
declined to extend the sphere of my responsibility to the extent of
protection of incoming passengers from the indirect consequences of
their own failure to comply with the low.
Another consequence of the vicious deposit system was to
bring to light the pitiful inadequacy of the imprest account of $2,000
with which I was furnished at the outset. The subsequent history of
this imprest is revealed in the following minutes from 030. files.
I have made a precis of the minutes only, sir.
control
On 16.11.40 I mimited to Financial secretary in C80.2861/40
asking for an imprest of $2,000; the warrant was signed on 19.11.40.
On 22.1.41 - seven days after the enforcement of the immigration
Booountant-General applied on my behalf for a further
imprest of $10,000; this warrant was signed the same day (C30.161/40).
On 9.2.41 I wrote very urgently and strongly to Colonial
Secretary stating that the $22,000 then available was utterly in-
sufficient, and asking that it be increused to $40,000 for as long
ca the deposit system existed; a minute of /cet. General of 14.2.41
expleins the discrepancy in the figures; spparently satisfied with
my explanation that $10,000 was insufficient, he had on his own
responsibility arranged for its increase to $22,000. He agrees in
thebo e minute that the $40,000 asked for is not excessive.
follows a minute by Financial Secretary in which is contained the
only reference to the immigration fund as recommended by Nr. Middle-
brook which I have been able to trace; the reference is concise and
uninformative. It renda: "A self-balancing fund is out of the
question"
There
Increase of my imprest to $40,000 was approved on 17.2.41
(Again in C80,161/40).
The imprest was at length increased to a figure coranonsu-
rate with the demands; but not before much inconvenience had been
caused to the public and mich needless anxiety to my myself and my
staff, as when cheques drawn by me in favour of the General Agent
and of the money-changer above- entioned, who had come to my essis-
tance with cash when the crowd at ry s became restive on account
of the day, had been dishonoured. The comment of the financial