CO129-409 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [1-3] — Page 117

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recollection been drawn specifically to his attention; that he

was quite unaware that it was any part of his duty to satisfy

himself before signing the receipts that the amounts paid were

entered in a Cash Book; that neither he nor his predecessor

ever had personally kept any Cash Book; that according to his

understanding of his duties, which had never vaḥried since he

took charge of the Junk Offics, the necessary check was supplied

daily by the Assistant Harbour Master's examination and perhaps

by that of Mr.Chan Pui, which, however, as before mentioned

ceased in April of this year, and that he never thought that it

was any part of his own concern to compare the Shroffs' Collegt-

ion Book with the Counterfoil Receipt Rook. In this connection

it is important to notice that the Harbour Master in his evid-

enoo admits that he was aware that in the Junk Office the

General Order No.315(3) was not carried out to the letter and

that Mr.Lenfestay in fact kept no Cash Book and was never

instructed to keep one though he considers that Mr.Lenfestey

should have made endeavours to check the Shroffa' Collection

Book with the counterfoil receipts. The Harbour Master also

states that it would have led to a great deal of confusion if

Mr.Lenfaatey had been ordered to keep a Cash Book owing to the

number of different licences which are issued from the Junk

office.

6.

Your Committee is of the opinion that Fr.Lenfes-

tey never realised properly the responsibilities of his position,

that he took no steps whatever to satisfy himself that the

revenue for which he signed receipts was properly brought to

account and that he has displayed a lack of intelligence which

is extremely regrettable; but at the same time whilst his

explanations in his own defence do not relieve him from charges

of stupidity and neglect of duty, they certainly indicate that

he has been the victim of general carelessness on the part of

higher officers of the department in regard to the Financial

Instructions.