CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 261

39

264

regard the treatment which I had received from the Bank of China as con-

stent with the courtesy which should be extended to the head of a

department. I refer to the term "Studied insolence". I cannot quote

the phrase for it is several months since I saw the letter,

Mr. M.K.

Lo no doubt will have a copy in his file, the letter said " a dis-

courteous note, signed by a person describing himself as the 1.0. and

whom we presume to be the 1.0."

Chairman: Is that discourteous?

A. It seemed so, read in its context. As I said I had an intention to write

A. a letter in answer. They had just as much reason to presume that the

person signing as 1.0. was the 1.0. as I had that the man signing as the

sub-manager was in fact the sub-manager of the Bank of China.

Q. But you have told us you have not assumed that. You preferred to accept

the contents of an official directory?

A. Yes, but that was not in reply to a letter of mine.

Q. In this paragraph you make one statement which to me is so extraordinary

that I must give you an opportunity of explaining or qualifying it.

(Reade):- "It was my chief reason -" (that is the receipt of a letter

which you state was couched in terms of studied insolence) " for taking

no further interest in the question", Do you think that you as a govern-

ment official had received a letter which you did not think was couched

in courteous terms, would regard that as an excuse for not dealing with

that letter?

J

A. Certainly. Had I received a letter pointing out my error,I should,as I

have done in other cases, have written an unasked for apology. I refer

to the case of Mr. Chia he walked into my office one day manɛ unannounced

and as I have had too many people walking into my office unannounced I

am afraid I asked him to wait outside until he was announced. He did so.

Later I received from him a letter in which he, instead of blaming me

for being discourteous to him, said that he had to apologize for walking

into my office unannounced. My reply in return was that I gave him a

more sincere and humble apology for my treatment of him than he could

have extractedfrom me if I had direct orders from H.D. to give it to him.