54
Chairman to Mr. Forrest: I should like you to give me a little
148
information about questions of the general agency. You have
told us in your memorandum of the difficulties that you experienced with a multiplicity of agencies and of your desire in the first place to establish a photographic and secretarial monopoly, and we know that you recommended that
to Government - on 1st December, was it not?
Mr. Forrest: I disrecommended it on 1st December.
Q
A
Q
You did not recommend a monopoly on 1st December but on 11th December you changed your mind and recommended a monopoly?
Yes.
After further discussion the question went to the Governor in Executive Council on 24th December at a meeting at which you
were present, and the decision there was - "The Governor in
Council considered the question of the proposed grant of a
monopoly for photography and secretarial work in connexion with the preparation of applications for immigration documents. It was agreed that the proposed long term monopoly should not
be granted but that there would be no objection to the
selection of a few authorized agencies by the method of tender,
on short term contracts". That was the position on 24th
December?
A
Yes.
Q
A
Q
A
It is not quite clear to me how, after that decision and in
the light of that decision, the agreement between yourself and
Mr. Kobza of 22nd January came to be entered into.
I don't think that agreement can be construed in any way as
monopolistic.
"There would be no objection to the selection of a few author-
ized agencies by the method of tender, on short term contracts.
It is not brought under that clause at all. As I explained
in my memorandum this morning, having considered this alter-
native possibility offered by the X.C., I felt that I could
not adopt it because it was open to many of the same objections
as existed in the case of the competing agencies already in