1941-06-20 — Page 4

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

GENERAL

IMMIGRATION COMMISSION OF

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY FINDS MR. FORREST UNFIT TO BE HEAD OF ANY DEPARTMENT

Report Blames Government For Appointment

MR. FORREST, IN OUR OPINION, HAS PROVED HIMSELF UNFIT FOR THE POSITION OF HEAD OF THIS, OR OF ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, AND WE RE-

GIVE COMMEND THAT GOVERNMENT

THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE QUESTION OF HIS RETENTION IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE."

This finding is contained in the REPORT of the COM- MISSION to inquire into the IMMIGRATION DEPART- MENT which was tabled at the Legislative Council yes- terday afternoon.

recom-

The Commission mended the Government to appoint an officer to follow up its instructions and sce that they are obeyed by the Departments.

accounting officer in his de- partment to supervise the work of the shroffs Is intelligible anly on the assumption bal the offeer regarded his respon- sibility for large sums of pub- lir moneys 2 comparatively unimportant.

In Its historia outline of the Immigration Office. the Report! traced the conception of this De still taken

That the Same officer having no steps to institule partment from the arrival of Mr.any accounting system should op- 5. M. Middlebrook. of the Malayan pose the suggestion for further Civil Service, last summer to the postponement suggests an attitude opening of the Immigration Office mind which we are quite un-

able to comprehen on Nov. 18, 1940

Summarizing our conclusions on of referener we 420

was no ade.

the proposed

apparently complicated forms by unintelligent and literate mem- bers of the community It is hot

Regret At

surprising that, in aid of appli- Governor's

cants for permits, there sprang up A multiplicity of agents who, for consideration, held themselves

out as abir to obtain permits ex- peditiously and with the minimum

C

Departure

of trouble to the applicant. With Regret at the announcement such a little gold mine in view it that His Excellency Sir Geoffry is only natural that many of these Northcote is to relinquish his ap Agents were found to be corrupt pointment as Governor of Hong- and Inefficient, or that they should kong for reasons of health, was seek to cloak their inefficiency by expressed by the Hon. Mr. J. J. attempting to bribe officers of the Paterson, Senior Unofficial Mern- department

ber, at the meeting of the Legia- The Immigration Officer had no lative Counell yesterday afternoon otton but to recognise the Fict of these agencies.

I was ex- He went further. His Excellency said: rightly. we think and extended tremely grieved when I felt bound the medical advice recognition to some while black in duty by

sting others. Troubles, however, which I received, to surrender my sttil arose and Mr Forrest was at trust to the hands of the Secre- his wits end for a solution

tary of State and to make way for Mr. Kobza as from November 20 a more able-bodied man. I thank had operated 3 photographic the Council for all the support that studio In the Immigration Office I have always hud.

that was one of the recommenda- tlone of the Middlebrook report and on December 1 he applied for

THOSE PRESENT

Present at the meeting were His a monopoly not only the photo Excellency the Governor, Slt raphic work required but also of Geoffry Northcote President). H the completion of application E. Maj.-Gen. A. E Grasett, Hon. torms. That application was re fused on Mr. Purrest's recommen-

dallon.

Mr N. L. Smith (Colonial Secre- tary). Hon Mr. C. G. Alabaster Attorney General), Hon. Mr. R. A C. North (Secretary for Chinese

The ship." went on The Re port, "was launched under an un-this term lucky star, for an entirely errone satisfied that there ous impression of the objects of gate financial system instituted gained in the Immigration Department: legislation currency, and the office was from that Mr Forrest was aware of this the outset besieged by crowds of fact, as shown by his minute of November 28 and inferentially by people far greater than having regard to the real objects/his applying on December 4 for a long term monopoly should not be Hon. Mr. J. P. Pennefather-Evans of immigration control, could ever postponement of the commence

ed

anyone.

matter of little or ne moment.

AGENCY SYSTEM

On the matter of the agency system, the Report says:

When a system of control neces- sitates the completion of long and

On December 11 Mr. Forrest had reconsidered the matter and strongly advocated the grant of a Affairs). Hon. Mr. R. R. Toad (Fin- monopoly. The question was re-ancial Secretary), Hon. Mr. A. B. ferred to the Governor in Execu- Purves (Director of Public Works), tive Council. and

decision Hon there taken was that the proposed (Director

8. Selwyn-Clarke Medical Services),

granted, but that there would be (Commissioner of Police). Hon. Mr.

the

Dr P.

uf

no objection to the selection of a W. J Carrle (Chair of the Ur-

agencies by theban Council), Hon, Mr. . J. Pater- method of gender En short termson. Hon. Mr. 3. H. Dodwell, Hon. contracts. That was on December Mr. M. K. Lo, Hon. Mr. W. N. 24. 1940, and Mr. Forrest was pre-Thomas Tam. Hon. Mr. A, L. sent at the meeting of Council and shields. Hon. Mr. T. E. Pearce, Hon further had the decisioni conveyed Mr. Tse-fong and Mr. C. Bra- to him on December 27,

mall Burgess Deputy Clerk (Continued an Back Page) Counells).

focal ment of the Ordinance: and that have anticipated In

for example, well aware as he was of this very few authorised Chinese newspaper,

serious fle in his machinery, he long artleies based apparently on official communiques were publish appears to have regarded li as a

on November 8 and 9. The earlier article was published under the caption Residents having o cupations are to be registered and to apply for certificates, while thei second article includes the state-

ment All Chinese residents must: apply for certificates of residence." The SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST to appears either to have misunderstood the communique or;

been have

misinformed Government's intentions, for in the Issue of November it published a lengthy article the headlines of which are "Immigration Cheek. All Residents of Colony to have identification documents." Email wonder, then, that the new office Was swamped with applications. many of which need never have been made.

ta

ADVISED POSTPONEMENT

uf

It had originally been the in- tention, on Mr. Forrest's recom mendation, to bring the Ordinance Into force on Dec. 17, but on Dec. 4 Mr. Forrest advised postpone- ; ment until Jan. 14 on the plea that he had not yet built up an effective machinery for the con- trol of fimmigration. To this rê~ quest His Excellency the, Officer Administering the Government uc- ceded, minuting "It would be s mistake to start unt) the measure can operate effectively."

"On December 18 the Chi- nese Chamber of Commerce suggested a further postpone- ment until after Chinese New Year which this year

in the was

last week of January. This suggestion was strongly opposed by Mr. For- rest, and it is not, we suggest, unreasonable to presume that Government therefore took it for granted that Mr. Forrest had got together a staff and devised an office system „ado- quate to the calls which, in ylew of the experience gained since November 18, he might anticipate would be made upon when the legislation should come into force on Jan. 14."

FINANCIAL SYSTEM-

The Report deals first with the "adequacy

or otherwise

Immigration Department,"

states:

of the

DEMOLITION OF SQUATTERS' HUTS AT TAI HANG: “ACTION TAKEN BY

GOVERNMENT WAS WRONG”, SAYS

HON. MR. M. K. LO

of

health, however laudable the latter object may be.

Some of us may deplore the use The destruction and demolition of squatters' buts at Tai Hang was of methods which savour of total- again before the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon when the itarianism, while others may be in HON ME. M. K. LO, Č.B.E., moved a resolution 'that, in the opinion clined to the view that the po of this Council, Government should not resort to its extraordinary pulace needs chastening; but in emergency powers to attain an end unconnected with the emergency, this difference of opinion does not

The motion was defeated.

Mr. La, replying to the Colonial Secretary, said that he WAS STILL OF THE OPINION THAT THE ACTION TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT WAS WRONG.

lle the point at issue.

It is not against well-mertted are making punishment that we

an appeal; it is against that type of logic which manages to establish a connexion between squatters' huts, above all else, and defence:

it is not the authoritarian whom

we fear; it la the Machiavellian.

COLONIAL SECRETARY

"We must experience a sense of armed, with very drastic powers disappointment that Government affecting the liberty of the subject should permit measures intended for the purpose of dealing with an by their severity for the promotion emergency. Some of these extra- of public safety to be diverted and ordinary and emergency powers applied for the promotion of pub-are derived, not from any local or Hic health, however laudable the dinance, but from Orders-in-Coun - ! latter object may be," remarked cil, over which this Council has no Br, If the motion now before the Hon. Mr. W. N. Thomas. Tam in control at all.

Council were merely on the general supporting the motion,

The Colonial Secretary sald:---

But it seems to me that because question of constitutional policy such far-reaching powers are vest which its wording would suggest ed in Government, it is absolutely there is no one in this Council, Lo essential that they should only be official or unofficial, who would

used for the purpose of, and in not give it his whole hearted sup Your Excellency:-The object of relation to, the emergency.

HON. MR. M. K. LO

Proposing the motion, Mr. said:--

port.

The Honourable Mr. Lo, however, has in his speech linked the mo-

my introducing the Motion stand- As a member of this Council I ing in my name is not to Indulge feel I cannot let pass unchallenged tion with the action taken agairat in an academic discussion on a the exercise of these extraordinary certain squatters which theoretical constitutional problem, powers by Government on the

My object is to draw the attention principle implicit in the Govern- subject of

was the debate in Our meet-

ing of 22nd May. As was stated

of this Councli to certain answers ment action in the Tal Hang on that date there was in this which govemment recently gave squatters' case, and I accordingly

હતું.

to my questions concerning the move the Motion standing in my case no question of defence involv destruction and demolition of name. squatters' huts at Taj Hang be cause, in my view, these answers raise an urgent and vital issue on

ernment.

HON, MR. THOMAS TAM

FRIDAY, JUNE

20, 1941. -PACE

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Mr. Lo added that he could not

The emergency dealt with in November 1938 Wee

the hot sity for the action as the pulling The Hon. Mr. W. N. Thomas influx of refugee squatters which down of the huts ten days or a the question of constitutional gov. Tam, addressing the Council, aid South China at that time, and the have made no diference.

followed the unfortunate events in fortnight earlier Sir, I beg to second the motion; resultant dangers to the public financial system instituted in the! The gist of the answers was that and I do so, because I still cherish health of the Colony. That emer-hink that, the members of the

and the destruction was not ordered as a tow simple principles which I goney, so far from being mitigated

a matter of defence; that the ac- consider my good fortune to have by the outbreak of war, has con- Coured would have consented to. There is nothing in the require-tlon was taken under Regulation 37 acquired under a system of educa- tinued and unfortunately still con- the amendments to the Regula- ments of the approved system of of the Emergency Regulations tion fostered by this Government. tinues; so much so that the 1938 tons mentioned by the Colonial

on grounds of public Immigration control that calls for merely

From our youth up we have been "Squatters and Dostitutes Regula- Becretary if it was évér contem- any involved kyster of Becqupt-health; that the reason why actions taught that the end does not fus tone were successively fortified by plated that Government would ing. In these circumstances Mr. Was taken under the Emergency tify the means; and we are im the provisions which are to be make use of these, emergency pow- Forrest's attitude to this most Regulations and not under the pressing on the minds of our chil-found in Government Notifications ers for another purpose. essential form of anancial control Summary Offences Ordinance. 1982 dren that expediency must never 918 of 1030 and 140 and 1200 of He was glad to know from the Is to us incomprehensible.

was because the procedure pre-be allowed to eliminate fair play, 1940. at is understandable that the scribed by, the ordinary law too

Dolonial 'Becretary that there was

If wo accept these principles and To deal with such a situation no difference of opinion in the officer who en November 20 made cumbersome to cope with the, in if we hope to convince our chil-quick action is necessary and this Comell on the general question of so, full a confession, as, to the ab-creasing number of squatters on dren, we must doubt the Justress was no doubt in the minds of sence of any accounting system in Crown land and that the Emer-of asking for powers in the name members of this Council when they constitutional polley, his, now office, should on December gency Regulations obviated the of defence and then employing approved of the November 1938 M. Lo concluded by saying that 4.senka montble postponement of necessity of arrosting and share those powers for the furtherance Regulations and the three, amond he must press the motion, to divi the commencement of the Ordi- ing the squatters before a magle of another purpose, and we must ments which I have, quoted. islon.

trate and enabled the area to be experience a sense of disappoint-

HE. the Governor: As the Col-. cleared more expeditiously.

ment that Gávarriment should por.

ontel Becretary has said the dov mit measures intended, by their]· "T ̧ am still of the opinion that ernment cannot accept this motion. aerarity, for, the promotion of pub- the action taken by Government but prima, facle ft 11 in 'örder. We know that Soye belled for the stomation of publie ply. He could not had the neces- defeated.

lic safety to be diverted, and ap- was wrong," stated Mr. Lo, in re- The motion, as stated above, wa

That any oficer, having.rot Cisat further period of space

shopļa „durius „it nejther ar- range for an 'adequato, sxsterp of book-keeping nor assign an

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MR, LO'S REPLY ·

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