MR. J.M. da ROCHA
Chairman:
311
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G
Honorary Consul for Costa Rica.
I will read your statement, Mr. da Rocha.
I am Honorary Consul for Costa Rica in Hong Kong.
On the 8th January last I wrote to the Immigration Officer submitting 5 applications for entry permits with my guarantee of the applicants' bona fides. On the 10th January I received the official receipt for the applications. On the 20th January not having heard anything from the Immigration Officer I went there and saw Mr. Will an Assistant Immigration Officer and presented the receipt. After about an hour's search he informed me that he could not trace the applications. I thereupon sent in my Consul's visiting card to Mr. Forrest and was then brought into his
office.
He asked me whether I was Consul "au carriere" and I replied that I was Honorary Consul for Costa Rica. I then told him the facts and he asked me to make fresh applications and to cancel his receipt for the original ones. He further asked me in future to hand all applications to him personally.
A few days later I handed fresh applications to the Immigration officer in person. He instructed a clerk to stamp them "urgent" and told me to call for them the following day. I did so and received the 5 entry permits.
On the 18th February I went to the Immigration Office to obtain a visa for my wife's passport as she wished to go urgently to Kulangsu on M.V. "Cremer" which was sailing on the 22nd February. In addition I wished to obtain an entry permit for her Chinese nurse who was to accompany her. The matter was urgent as the object of the visit was to visit a nephew Mr. Michael Duffy who was dangerously ill in Amoy Hospital.
I saw Mr. M.W. Lo go into Mr. Forrest's office the door of which is not marked 'private' and in fact there are a number of clerks working there but on seeing me the Immigration Officer without enquiring the purpose of my visis, told me very roughly to "get out" and to see the Chinese clerk.
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