CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 15

15

54086/+1

13

COPY FOR REGISTRATION

Received

Conf. Códe Telegram

in Degistry

FROM HONG KONG

16 06.

* Chief Justice ~ Chainim

Commrusia

is. I'm

C

Paga, no ?wms pls. Cox Su, HK.

12

FROM: TO:

Governor (Sir M. Young)

Secretary of State for the Colonies.

D. 15th October, 1941.

**

R. 13th

Personal and Confidential.

黷

16.45 hrs.

Your personal and confidential telegram

of 2nd October.

Commission on Immigration Department.

I have studied the Report and despatch, and examined the present working of the Department and consulted MacGregor.X My conclusions are:-

(1) That the appointment of Forrest to be Immigration Officer was an ill-considered arrangement typical of the manner in which matters have been handled during Northcote's absence. I hope such blunders will not recur.

(ii) That neither the Treasury nor the Secretariat is as prone to unhelpful criticism as paragraph 40 suggests. On the other hand the inclination to let things alone has not been over- stated.

(iii) That the innovation proposed in paragraph. 41 is beside the mark. What is required is not one watch dog but a revision and a grading up of every process of Government, particularly in the Secretariat.

You ask me for prompt and decisive action. I am doing what I can to reform the organisation, but the most decisive action, which I hope will also be prompt, is likely to be the replacement of the officer mentioned in my secret and personal telegram of 30th September.

Proms fill of NL Smith (11887)