CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 246

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Immigration Officer, I and a couple of other members of the staff remained until after ten o'clock that night, numbering them and putting

e Immigration Officer's personal seal over the numbers.

Speaking of security deposit receipt books, I may mention that, more than a fortnight ago, A.I.O. Taylor applied for some new blue ones because the yellow ones had been returned owing to the fact that their numbering was similar to the blue ones. Up to yesterday, no new supplies had been provided though the receipt books were urgently needed.

On Chinese New Year's Day and on several subsequent Sundays, it was found that we had not been provided with sufficient funds to meet deposit refund payments. Again the situation was most serious for it was then that scores and scores of people came and demanded refunds. In desperation, the Immigration Officer finally signed official cheques but we had the greatest difficulty in getting them cashed on account of the holidays. The General Agent assisted us on one occasion. On the other occasions, I managed to persuade the money-changer to advance us the money on the under- standing that he could collect cash on the following morning. When the cheques were presented at the Bank, they were dishonoured because, I was told by the Immigration Officer, the Treasury had failed to place enough money into the account of the Immigration Office. The money-changer again went to the Bank after lunch but still no money had been deposited. This

not thing happened on/only one occasion but on several. Mr. Forrest remarked that he was giving up in despair any hope of securing co-operation from the Treasury.

We

The Immigration Office was started without foundation or basis. had to start from scratch and help it to create itself and organize itself; and, at the same time care for thousands of people and tens of thousands of applications.

One of the main reasons for the unprecedented rush was that many Chinese residents came under the impression that it was necessary for all to obtain certificates of residence, failing which they would be sent away from the Colony. All efforts to explain that this was not the case were unavailing: they insisted on crushing inside the doors, and hundreds were compelled to wait outside.

The establishment of the Central Branch under Mr. Himsworth helped in- in drawing away from the Head Office at least several score of people