CO129-607-1 Enquiry into loss of public money 22-5-1948 - 26-10-1948 — Page 43

6.

III. FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM.

A. Collection.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

Failure to ensure that money collected from Taipo and Pingshan, or both, duly reached Head Office with all possible speed.

Failure to ensure that money collected from Taipo n and Pingshan, or both (which money had inevitably

(to lie in safe in D.O.N.T.'s office overnight) was duly paid into bank at first opportunity next day.

Checking of Head Office accounts was left to D.0. South, though it was obvious that he must frequently be prevented from checking by absence on duty. No provision made for check in D.0., South's absence,

B. Paying Out.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Department, although separated by harbour from Accountant General's Office, had no separate bank account.

Lack of check to ensure that open cheques collected by Shroff from Treasury were speedily brought to safe custody in Head Office.

Absence of information service between Treasury and Head Office regarding passage across harbour of considerable sums in open cheques from Treasury to Head Office.

Lack of a check that a Shroff who had cashed a cheque at the bank duly brought the money back with all speed to the Head Office.

43