CONFIDENTIAL.
333
Your Excellency,
With reference to the remarks contained in
paragraph 37 of the Report of the Commission on the Immigra-
tion Office I offer the following comments on the subject of
Mr. Forrest's appointment.
2.
When Mr. Middlebrook, the expert from Malaya,
came to Hong Kong in July 1940 to lay the foundations of the
new department he worked chiefly with Mr. J.H.B. Lee who was
originally, and still is, employed in that department; but
as the time approached for the Ordinance to come into effect
there was need for someone additional and, if possible, of
greater seniority to be appointed.
Mr. Forrest's name pre-
sented itself because (a) with the return of Mr. Wynne-Jones
from leave Mr. Forrest could conveniently leave the post of
Postmaster-General which he had filled with success for 12
months, (b) he is one of the best Chinese scholars in the
service and is popular with the Chinese community, whom he
has treated with great consideration in a number of departments,
(c) as his record shows he had had considerable Treasury and
Secretariat experience, including periods as Principal Assist-
ant Colonial Secretary and a few weeks, during 1935, in the
acting post of Colonial Secretary, (d) he himself, when I
discussed it with him, expressed himself as interested in the
new experiment and anxious to make a success of it.
3.
I was aware of Mr. Forrest's temperamental
troubles in 1937, reported to the Secretary of State on his
departure on leave in Your Excellency's confidential despatch
of 5th April, 1938. All the papers on this subject had been
brought to the attention of General Norton, Officer Adminis-
tering the Government, long before there was any question of
an Immigration Department and once again when I recommended
Mr. Forrest for the post. In approving the appointment
General Norton informed me that he had discussed it with, and