CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 233

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"There's a Postal service isn't there". To which I replied that I was aware of that fact but as myBoy wished to leave the Colony in two days' time I felt it useless to write as my letter would doubtless take

several days to receive attention. I was then told in a very aggressive manner that it certainly would as he had weeks of correspondence on his desk unattended to and "I would like you to understand that I don't appreciate being rung up in the middle of the afternoon." Such a remark made me extremely annoyed and I replied to the effect that had I been the person to whom he addressed his endearing remarks at the beginning of our conversation no doubt he would have been prepared to waste a great deal of his time. To which he replied very angrily "That's none

of your business." I assured him that in the circumstances it was and

before

that having asked a civil question I expected a civil reply the end of my remark the telephone receiver had been slammed down.

(Sga). D. Campbell. 12.3.41."

That is the letter?

A.

Yes.

Mr. Forrest: Mrs. Campbell, do you keep a bank account?

A. Yes, I do.

Q.

And you sometimes have occasion to cash cheques I suppose?

A. * Yes.

Q.

I don't know in what bank you keep your account and I don't wish to en- quire but assuming it were in the H. K. & S'hai Bank would you on any

occasion ring up Sir Vandeleur Grayburn?

No, I would not; and I did not ring up the 1.0.

A.

Q.

You did eventually?

A.

I asked for No.1 of the department and I had no idea that it would be the 1.0. My understanding was that there would be several departments and if I asked for the Inquiry Department I would be put on to the Inquiry Dept. In other words you took it for granted that the Immigration Office, est- ablished about a month before, was fully equipped with all the depart- ments which you would find in a bank which has been established for close

on a century?

A.

ah, no.

Q.

At any rate you took it for granted that there would be a special tele- phone department operated by an officer whose one object or chief business it was to answer inquiries?

A.

Y