CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 238

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"At the outset I ought to say that my wife and I received every pos-

On production of our special permit nothing could

sible courtesy.

have gone more smoothly or easily.

-

one more or

There appeared to be two foreigners examining passports

less learning the job while the other supervised. The latter was the

worst possible type of small Government official

mannered. This grey haired clerk, who was in charge, made one feel

really ashamed of British Officialdom especially as he was on an

American ship.

Ja

bullying and ill

The

There were several important Chinese passengers on board who on leav-

ing Shanghai were told that transit visas were not necessary.

passport clerk referred to above (I believe his name is Forrest) de-

manded HK$100.00 deposits from those without transit visas. Cash

money as deposits was offered but he refused the cash and demanded

drafts (how these were to be obtained on Sabbath morn in a Crown

Colony I do not know). Eventually after he had been extremely rude,

aggressive and in my opinion incompetent I had to give a personal

written guarantee for two prominent Chinese gentlemen whom I knew.

Why my guarantee for the payment of HK$100.00 is better than HK$100.00

cash still remains a mystery.

No doubt in times of War and immigration the necessity for the strict-

est possible regulations is necessary. But I sat submit that these

can be enforced competently, firmly and politely and that the behaviour

of and interpretation of the regulations by the head passport clerk

who was on duty on "President Monroe" on this occasion added very

little to British prestige in front of the Americans and Chinese

whose sympathy it is so important that we should maintain.

Mr. Forrest:

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) W. J. Keswick"

In the first place it is a complete surprise to me that any

person has suggested anything like rudeness regarding my conduct in-

side; nothing could be more surprising. It is a great pity that the

writer of this letter is not here for I would like to ask him about it.

It seems strange he should have known my name and not my official

position, which raises a doubt in my mind, and I hope in yours too,

whether he actually gathered my identity on the spot. There was another grey-haired official there at that time.