CO129-590-11 Commission of Enquiry into irregularities in Immigration Departments 22-4-1941 - 19-12-1941 — Page 88

the Immigration Office about the end of September 1940,when Mr.

J.H.3.Lee, now one of my Deputy Immigration Officers, casually

mentioned it to me in a telephone conversation.

I would like to

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emphasize that casualness with which the whole scheme was introduced.

That will be apparent from time to time as I proceed. I was at

the time Postmaster General, a post from which I was not finally

released until some date after 16th December, so that for four weeks

I was burdened with such of the work of that department as I could

afford time to undertake in adaition to the sole charge of a new

office. I made an early opportunity to call on the Colonial Secretary,

and ascertained that it was a fact that I was selected for the post;

shortly afterwards I got into touch with Mr. Middlebrook, and had the

benefit of several consultations with him, and of his assistance in

the choice of aurope an candidates for the position of asistant

Immigration Officer.

On 1st October I was officially designated as 1.0. and

obtained Government sanction to proceed with such preparations as

ordering furniture for the office, and making alterations in the

premises selected as Head Office and Depot. Preparations were held

up for a time, so far as regards entering into commitments on behalf

of Government, by doubt whether the Secretary of State would after

all approve the measure. On receiving H.c's assurance, communicated

to me by the Colonial Secretary, that the S. of s'e approval mi ht be

saaumed, I went ahead and, with Mr. Lee's assistance, concluded a

Lease of the premises now used as the Depot, and at length opened the

Head Office as soon as possible after the premises had been vacated

by the Assessor and certain minimum s tructural adaptations had been

ork in the new department started, so far as the public were

concerned, on 18th November. Of course, a very considerable amount of

preparatory work had been done even before that date, as it was

necessary to ensure an adequate supply of forms for use on the opening

date; in this connection I would refer once more to the difficulties

caused by delay on the part of Government printers to supply certain

forms. I ought to make it clear that I am convinced that Government

made.