CO129-575-5 Passport Office- authorisation for writing off deficiencies 31-3-1939 - 19-3-1940 — Page 16

No. 61.

14:

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG,

6th February, 1940.

9

Enclosure No.1.

Aura:

Sir,

With reference to your despatch No.283 of 28th

July, 1939, regarding further deficiencies in the accounts

of the Passport Office, I have the honour to inform you

that on Mr. Witchell's return to this Colony from Canada

he was prosecuted in respect of the defalcations and pleaded

guilty to six charges of embezzlement. He was sentenced on

17th June, 1939, to a total of six months hard labour.

2.

I enclose a copy of a report by the Auditor dated

16th February, 1939, which I regret was omitted from my

(4) despatch No.338

despatch No.338 of 15th May, 1939. From this it will be

seen that the further loss of $280 referred to in paragraph

3 of your despatch under reference should have been included

as part of the deficiency, and I would request your approval

of the writing-off of this sum also. The cash in respect

of the nineteen receipts referred to in paragraph 4 of your

despatch was brought to account.

3.

Inquiry goes to show that while passports were

dealt with in the Colonial Secretary's Office no effective

supervision was exercised over the Passport Clerk beyond a

check by the Chief Clerk to ensure that the amounts shown on

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&C., &C.,

&C.

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