Fifth day Saturday, 29th March 1941.
286
Second Court 10 a.m.
Present:
His Honour Sir Alasdair Duncan Atholl MacGregor, Chief Justice,
(Chairman).
Mr. Charles Bernard Brown, A.C.A. J.P.,
Mr. David Drummond, J.P.,
Mr. Woo Hang-kam, L1.B., J.P.,
Mr Kenneth Myer Arthur Barnett, J.P., (Secretary).
Mr. R.A.D. Forrest, I.0., and Mr. E.W. Pudney, Accountant-General attended. Chairman: Before we proceed with the hearing of any witnesses I have here
three letters which I received in the course of yesterday and which I
propose to read. The writers are not here, and the reason for their
absence will be apparent from the nature of the letters. The first is
from Mr. M.L. Bevan, of Pentreath & Co., who says that he is not per- sonally acquainted with Mr. Forrest, but some time prior to Chinese New Year he telephoned to him and asked him if he could expedite the issue of a re-entry permit for his "boy", who had made an application some 17 days previously. Kr. Forrest was extremely courteous and help- ful, and when he (Mr. Bevan) apoldgised for troubling the head of a department over such a small matter Mr. Forrest stated he was only too anxious to help people provided they were not rude to him.
Mr
The second letter is from Mr. D.J. Sloss, Vice-Chancellor of the Hong Kong University, who speaks of an occasion when he had dealings with Mr. Forrest as Immigration Officer and when Mr. Forrest treated him not only with complete courtesy but expeditiously also. The matter was
over a cash receipt, and when Mr. Forrest was informed about it, he at
once telephoned and asked him to send it to him. He received a reply almost by return of post
The third is from Mr. T.B. Wilson, of the American President Lines, who writes: (Reads): -
"I noted in yesterday's newspaper report of the evidence, that
Major Manners made reference to the incivility on the part of the Immigration Officer. I want to take this opportunity to assure the Commission that since the inauguration of the Immigration
Office I have always found Mr. Burnie a capable and competent
officer. #1
Mr. Forrest, you asked that Mr. Pudney should be present, but I think 1.M. Tseung: Interpreted) we have some members of the public we ought
to hear first.