CO129-266 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [1-3] — Page 523

low any

alaim of privilege I beg to state that the allegation made by

before the Emi gration Committee did not.

me

amount to more than that from current reports among the Chinese of which I was,

as

was sub-

Acting Registrar General, in formed confidentially, there was a certain amount of reason to believe that cor ruption existed in connection with the passing of Emigrants, which allegation stantially corroborated by the Registrar General in his evi- dence before the Retrenchment Committee in answer to the question put by the Chairman in connection with this subject.

I considered it my duty to bring the existence of these. rumours before the former

Committee

519

Committee in urging upon - them the advisability of changing the system of passing emigrants by a department of which neither the Head nor the assist-

Head possesses the necessary. qualifications for checking their subordinates in dealing

with Chinese.

I am no longer in a position to attempt any in- vestigation into the matter even if it were possible in Hongkong to obtain legal proof of any one instance of bribery.

I have to.

(signed) A.M. Thomson.