CO129-475 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1922 [5-7] — Page 164

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Department, a European Accountant, Mr. A. J. C. Taylor, was appointed who carried out his duties in a wholly satisfactory manner. In November, 1920, however, Mr. Taylor was transferred to the Public Works Department and Mr. R. J. Leete, then a lieutenant in the Hongkong Singapore Battalion of Royal Garrison Artillery, was appointed in his place, and acted as Accountant until December 26th, 1921, when in

consequence of certain representations made in regard to Mr. Leete's inefficiency I caused Mr. Taylor to be retransferred to the Police Department.

4.

As regards the cash deficiencies I am

satisfied that they are entirely due to Mr. Leete's

incompetence. Money was received from various firms for

private guards supplied and was not paid into the Government

account. Mr. Leete carefully entered each amount known to him to be paid but made no attempt to recover any of the amounts that remained seemingly unpaid. A proper check on

such arrears would have very early discovered the

defalcations. The frauds in connection with the Indian

Family Remittances were effected by Fatteh Mohamed forging

the necessary signatures on the paysheets.

6. As regards the stores paid for and not

received the frauda perpetrated were only possible on

account of a general lack of supervision throughout the Department, but the procedure adopted by Fatteh Mohamed was one that would not easily be detected. It would be ascertained by him that bona fide repairs were being

executed and goods ordered which were actually received;

he would then obtain possession of the original accounta from the firme who executed the orders and passed fictitious accounts for payment. Proper account forms and apparently genuine "chops" were used by these imaginery firma.

6.

It is to be regretted that the Captain

Superintendent