CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 114

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amodation; such action was, however, futile, unless I had the means

of detaining them in the camp and so preventing them from merging in the

urban population.

The Director of Medical Services informed me that he

had asked in July last that the camp be enclosed with barbed wire, and

he welcomed anything that I could do to hasten that action; I accordingl

wrote to the Director of Public works describing the work required as

now of the greatest possible urgency; the reply was to the effect that

tenders for the performance of the work would be opened on the 17th

February. Whether the work has now been executed or not I have not

inquired; certain it is that the work of my department has been

frustrated to the extent of the number of refugees who have succeeded in

adding themselves to our unwanted city population.

The closure on very short notice of the Gaol Printing shop in sumater

last year, and the submergence of Government Printers in a flood of

orders which they could not tackle with the urgency demanded was merely

an unfortunate coincidence; but much trouble and anxiety might have been

avoided if those responsible for the placing of orders for stationery

could have recognised that something had gone wrong, and that urgent

orders ought to be placed elsewhere until the effects of that submergence

had been worked off; failing in my attempts to secure my departmental

forms as speedily as they were required, I took the responsibility of

giving the orders to other firms which guaranteed prompt delivery;

I preferred to take that responsibility rather than the greater

responsibility of having the work of my department brought to a standstill

I was in no better case when it came to other essential stores;

on 25th January I requisitioned for raincoats for certain of my outdoor

staff; I was told that the matter not being urgent could wait for the

proper procedure; and my officers are still working without raincoats

while the weather of the last few weeks is sufficient commentary on

the question of urgency. At the saALLO time I asked for other items of

uniform; the latest reply on that subject from the Financial Secretary,

written in March, reads that the winter being now so far spent it might

be better to give thought to summer uniform.

The instances quoted may appear small, each in itself, and such

delays are mere annoyances to the head of an established department,

their worst postponing desirable improvements; to a department faced

daily with fresh difficulties to meet which it must daily devise new