1941-06-19 — Page 21

Thursday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

June 19, 1941.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

IMMIGRATION DEPT.

OF

COMMISSION

sponsibility for repatriating all such notice is one whilch might well give|ebbing, there was a steady stream of Court and Miss Murray of the At- passengera made the introduction of rise to misgivings in Mr Forreal's visitors and we were able to examine torney General's Department, whose FROM PAGE ONE

a nystem, of deposits inevitable. The heart, for Government on learning of and test the system from the first work through long sitting has been tnet that many

such passengers had the agreement might order him to application for a pernilt form to the beyond praise. should be kept in the new office. Mrno Ilongkong currency further com- terminate it.

Isatte of the completed permit. The The Commission of Inquiry com- Forrest made no effort to have the pilented the situation.

of the extremely un-urised the Chief Justice, Sir Atholl It wan unavoidable that the officers the remedy for any such unfortunate favourably books pelated, being convinced, he gol ready in time.

At

ofce,

own on

force

at

до

The whole

and

the

of

NEW LEISURE

U. S. Fuel SHIRT

Supplies

The supplemental agreement was system, Surroundings in which It | MacGregor (chairman), Mr H K. has told us, that they could not be of boarding squads, though unsecur-state of affairs. Wa con draw no had to be carried oul, struck us as Woo, Mr D. Drummond and Air C.

fed, should have to handle very large other conclusion from Mr Forrest's essentially "Government properiy Barnett as Secretary.

a good one, adequately Bernard Brown, with Mr K. M. A. A a later date Mr Farrest devised sums of money in all sorts of currallure to take any advice, adminis

could accurately trative, legal or financiul,

before

and publle moneys and Issuing per- a system of accounting for the Macaorencles. No

on Mr estimate just how

inucli

moncy executing such an agreement, from

from mits to the public without avoidable branch office which is based

Its existence delay. Taylor's recommendations, yet it no would be taken in by way of deposit his failure to report time did he make any effort to or how much would have to be re-and from the later execution of the In the early days no doubt the institute any adequate system In la funded on any particular day or on supplemental agreement. For the system did not work so smoothly as

early any voyage of a ship. least until

delegation of the power to grant Im-later when the staff had more ex- In such circumstances we do Bott for

which there is no work was less, but the system as in

documents or for the issue

sue perleuce February, 1941.

presure Mr Forrest has told us that his regard as heinous Mr Forrest's ex-of fallure was due, firstly, to his belief pedients to find the cash which had statutory authority there of operation when we visited the office that the system which lonit had been to be got to satisfy depositors, nor course be no excuse.

appeared to be adequate, and we control the fact that perfores his odicers had transaction has left on our minds a see no reason why the department passport in the brunch of Police Department is, in should not have operated normally ad

be auflcient for the new Deally unsecured. Such situations are our judgment, quite indefensible.

only a proper accounting system to arise when a new system is

WASHINGTON, June 18. (Reuter), Recruitment of Staff been instituted; and perhaps, some- partment, with some slight extension

-New arrangements giving United suitable

A first advertisement inserted in one a little less temperamental than States refineries an opportunity to to enforced, and until come His inability to get from the Treasury arrangement could be made for col- the local press, for which Mr Forrest Mr Forrest had been in charge.

enlargement, and, secondly, to

supply at least 50 per cent, of petro- deposits before

leum products purchased for Great Recommendations upplications for the post of Asals-

Britain under passport control branch had beer

Americtin The Commission made the follow-was announced by by Mr Harold contracts on November J, and expedient had to be resorted to tant Immigration Officer at a salary taken over

no doubt, and order to avoid protracted delays. of $450

per mensem (inclusive) and ing recommendations:

the Petroleum Co-Ordinator, Amall self-con-| Summarizing our conclusions

provides that applicants shall be Bri-

Abolition of the Deposit System: Ickes, tained branch, was vainly endeavour-this term of reference we are salis-ish subjects of pure European des- recommended that the deposlt sys-to-action follows an appeal by

no adequate cent between the ages of 21 and 28 ten be abandoned or drastically rese instituted in

te and

nt A certain educational tricted as soor, as it can conveniently producers in the United States do- refineries. They said that MrStandard.

virtually all such American contrac We

cannot refrain from the com-i Mr Forrest at Fault in

tors were being supplied from wells Three Matters

in Venezuela.

to

the trained shrolls he required. The earked for Ifongkong ssengersns in no sense responsible, calls for

the system, sultable

adequate

for such a smal

ing to simpt itself to the manifold fed that there calls which the publle was malting financial system

W35

some such

on the Immigration Department, Emmigration

ion Department; that

15

such recount Dece

keen

December 4 for a postponement of

for

the

J

be done.

Mr Forrest has been found by u

We are

and con-

in ot

is

and in

The

To U.K.

Mr Ickes also announced that three

They will deliver on additional 210,000.000 gallons of petrol a year because of the shorter voyage.

War Refugee Found In Govt House

ments which he had made, he wastes. Further

he bill

Camp to His Excellency the Governor,

His Disobedience to the. Instructions of The Governor In Council·

and

Ho

We find it difficult to accept Mr Forrest was aware of this fact, as 28 Forrest's first explanation, not only because it must have been clear from /own by his minute of November inent that thus to limit the field of and inferentially by his applying on seletion by excluding the great the very outset that no

one rait | the commencement of the Ordinance: majority of possible Ident candidates to have been at fault In two malor huge tankers at present serving in in system possibly cope aud that, well aware as he was of to whom the salary offered would bal matters; and one minor matter, that California would be transferred to

operated by and ane clerk, with the requirements of a large and this very serious flaw in his machin- real inducement strikes us as hard-1 of discourtesy and lack of lael. We serve the Atlantic seaboard from the very busy office, but also because onery, he appears to have regarded it the most likely way to recruit refer to that as a minor matter only Gulf of Mexico.

Mr a suitably Intelligent and Impeccable because

sallsfied that 20th November, after cleven days as a matter of little or no mument,

staff.

Forrest Is norminily most courteous practical experience of the adequacy

Ultimately a staff was assembled, und polite nur, that in very many of or otherwise of the passport book-

Agency System keeping system, Mr Forrest wrote a On the matter of the agency syn-largely consisting, as far as the more his dealings with the public as Im

senior and responsible posts are con- mlaration

he displayed his the Honourable the ten, the fleport says; minute to

patience and usual bott Colonial Secretary in the course of When system of control neces-cerned, of Mr Forrest's own personal which he said;

sitates the completion of lung and friends. We husten to say that to sideration and that it was only or- the appointment of friends simpliei-casionally, and then, in part at least, The immediately urgent work apparently

complicated forms by of purely atlministrative type to unintelligent and illiterate members ter we take no objections, and there because of ill-health and over-work, whleb I should be devathig my of the community it is not surpris-is no ground for suggesting that to that he lost his temper and trans-

any of his friends Mr Forrest expressed as we have found being all ing that, in aid of attention but which is

applicants

mullip tended any preference in the depart earlier paragraph. but completely neglected, com-permits, there sprang up a multi ment. On other grounds, however, His Failure to Institute A prises, I conceive, the following: city of agents who, for a considerata soles

“

staff selected gives cause for Proper Financial System financial control and affice tion, held themselves out as able to

One of those strange and great dissatisfaction.

As regards the first of his two whimsical incidents which bare abtain routine."

permits

und expeditiously

Among the European Assistant

our opinion Mr Nacd of Shroff a

with the minimum of trouble to

poor to applicant. With such a little gold Immigration Officers are two wo major faults, la

Forrest is not in himself to blame; the tragedies of the As regards his second explanation mine in view it is only natural that shortcomings have already been but rather the Government who ap- those in high places occurred at

When at pointed in Immigration Officer. Government House yesterday. we concede that Mr Forrest had many of these agents were found to reported to Government.

1940, Mr We are or that the end of November. and inefficient,

are satisfled that Mr Forrest desperate need of additional shroffs be corrupt

Captain Batty-Smith, the Alde de and that trained and experienced they should seek to cloak their in- Forrest applied to Government for lacking in business

found an shroffs were hard to come by, but efficiency by attempting to bribe or approval of the "ppoint administrative and

unknown and elderly of a tem- Chinese man standing in the dining we cannot agree that the lack of offleers of the department,

et-perament which renders him entirely room of Government House. The such officers is any excuse for the The Immigration Officer had no instructed to dispense with the ser- failure to provide for the new De-option but to recognize the fact of vices of three of them as soon as unsuitable to be placed in charge of

man had walked up the drive possible. One was dismissed forth- | *** nt least a proper system of these agencies. He went further, with; the other two whose past re-able worries and complexities, as he

tha new department, with its ineviting apparently just "walked in." recounting and records. If such a rightly, we think, and extended records will hardly bear close ex-is lacking in the qualities of dis-the man said that he

Questioned through an Interpreter system had existed, but the staff cognition to some while blacklisting ds

came from through overworkt, or inck of experi- others. Troubles, however, still arose action are still members of the cipline and self-control. Mr Forrest Fulden. ie that he

Department. Further comment is

has been in the service of Govern-Japanese deprivations and wished to ruined by ence had failed to

the books and Mr Forrest was at his wits end

surely unnecessary, up to date, there would have been for a solution.

ment for over twenty years und Gov-make an appeal to the Governor. Among others recruited by Mr erament must have been fully cog-

"He seemed a Mr Kobzn as from November 20 much forco in this argument. In the

a very nice oidi gentle- circumstances

which Mr Forrest per- had operated a photographic studio Forrest are two whom the police, o nizant of his failings in these direc-mun,"

sald Captain Batty-Smith. "Probably his story was true. mitted to exist it is beside the point. In the immigration Onice (that was good grounds, regard as shody char- tions.

understandable

had evidently seen better days." that the one of the recommendations of the cters and not respectable persons.

Of the Chinese staff generally little officer who o November 20 mada Middlebrook report) and on Decem-

The man was formally put in the full

charge of the Police who took him to 30 confession as to the absence ber he applied for a monopoly not that is adverse can be said. A man who was dismissed from Govern- of any accounting system in his new only at the photographic work re- ment service for demanding money For his second fault no such excuse hospital. There it was found that he office should on December 4 seek a quired but also of the completion of with services, fund was then used as can be found. We entertain no doubt was mentally unbalanced. month's postponement of the com- application forins. That application King's Evidence in a recent sena-that he deliberately, to further his mencement of the Ordinance. That was refused on Mr Forrest's recomtional trial, is said to be employed own ends and give his own peti

officer having got that further mendation. period of grace should during it

1- On December 11 Mr Forrest had in the Department under an assum- schemes a chance of proving their

ed. nume.

but there is no suggestion

estion worth, disregarded the spirit of the neither arrange for an adequate sys reconsidered the matter and strongly that Alt Forrest was aware of his instructions of the Governor in Coun- tem of book-keeping nor assign an advocated the grant of a monopoly record. The police report that cll, and, by being a party to the accounting offcer in his department The question was referred lo to supervise the work of the shrofts Governor in Executive Council, and twenty seven members of the staff supplemental agreement, did his best were unknown at the addresses to render nugalery any orders which Is intelligible only on the assumption the decision there taken was that the that the officer regarded his proposed long term monopoly should iven by them, while several others he might be given when the exis- used these addresses as necommoda-tence of the agreement with Kobza

LONDON, June 18 (British Wire- but that there would tion addresses only.

|come_to_light..

loss)-The-official-cost-of-living- moneys as

TEA the suretion of

Complaints of Discourtesy Mr Forrest Unfit to Be

index figure on May 31

100 Lant.

the

same officer ivingin few authorized agencies by the sill taken no steps to institute any method of tender on short term con-

We have received and Investigated Head of Any Department points above the level of July, 1914, should

Mr Forrest, in our opinion, has showing no change as compared with accounting system

tracis. That was on December 24, number of complaints containing oppose the tra suggestion for further postponement 1940, and Mr Forrest was present at allegations of discourtesy shown to proved himself unfit for the position May 1.

For food alone, the index figure suggests an altitude of mind which the meeting of Council and further members of the publie by Mr Forrest of head of this, or of any other de we are quite unable to comprehend. had the decision conveyed to him on or members of his staff. It is only partment, and we recommend that was 70 points above the level of July.

Mr Farrest as from December 1 December 27.

fair to say, however, that we also Government give the most careful1014, compared with 71 points on among his staff Mr A. J. C. An agreement having been execut-received a number of tributes to the consideration to the question of his May 1, the decline being due mainly Taylor of the Senior Clerical and ed and a banking account having helpfulness extended to the writers

invariable courtesy, patience and retention in the public service,

Unhelpful Attitude of

Among Rems other than food, there Accounting Staff whom Mr Forrest been opened by Mr Kobza, the one on their visits to the Immigration

was n slight increase in the prices of "describes a. He made vision of the agreement which once. To get this question in its

one of the best

Treasury And Secretariat clothing and clothing materials, ts in

Throughout the evidence we have partly due to the effects of the pur- no attempt to utilize Mr Taylor's control on the operations of the proper perspective one must remem been struck by the unhelpful attitude chase tax. services an accounting officer until sent was by parol stenent aber the conditions under which Mr. boards Mir Forrest and lates Since this tax came into operation after Mr Barton, Mr Pudney and the gated. No tulilors were appointed. Forrest and his staff were working. shown by some other departments on October 21, the resulting increases in grossly inadequate accommoda-

od and in particular by the Treasury in prices have raised the cost of liv- clamorous and the and they were lon, surrounded by cheques

Secretariat.

Forrest'sing index Bgure by approximately mob of applicants, and at the beek evidence to us lays crent stress on five points. in fact countersigned by Mr Kobza's

and call of everyone in the building an

opinion, secretary, a Indy in his pay and aor all the complaints wo this point, and, in our

Intimate

received friend of Mr Forrest.

The files which we have Much has been sold during our very

verightly. est and investigated only three in our read, as well as the oral evidence We would add that before Mr and public inquiry about the deposit system and the inadequacy of the Kobra was appointed general agent opinion are sufficiently serious to taken by us, show a

a. marked inclina- make it impossible explain them Imprest account. The arrival in the tenders were called for, though

to let things alone,

alone, hoping away by reference to the stiffness of by Colony of large numbers of Chinese that was clearly contemplated

would arise out of chaos. who were without any immigration Executive Council, the terms of the the new machine or to the condi-gainst hope, no doubt,

tions under which work had to be papers, the paramount necessity to proposed agreement were not sub- tion

dant minutes compact of destructive clear ships without avoldable delay, mitted to the Crown Solicitor. Go carried on. When we say, this we a noticeable tendency to write mor-

do not mean that other complaints criticism und the natural reluctance to saddle ernment's financial advisers were not were not well founded, but only that

where a little practical con- structive advice would greatly the shipping company with the re-prised of the step contemplated

things. Mr Pudney's that because ho

any

gibility

That

had

suma

comparatively

be no

Auditor, Mr Pollard, und successively no reported on the financial chaos which cou reigned in the office.

Deposit System

some measure of Anancial

accountant was available to countersign

K:bza.

Q

Mr

LIVING COST INDEX British Figures

was

to decreases in the prices of fish.

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Re-organising U. S. Army

Head Office & Works 57032 Gloucester Bldg., 2nd Fir., Tel. 20930 Hong Kong Depot, Kowloon Depot,

Tel. 50545 Peak Depot,

Tel. 21270

Tel. 29325

have

has no

indi no security was taken from Mrney evidence either faults in the TDAN DOwers over other do-

• Unauthorised Duties

system which can easily be remedi- ed, or a momentary petulance which

in the circumstances was almost ex-

Mir Forrest has consistently argued cusable.

WAR

that

BRITISH

ORGANISATION

FUND

The three exceptions

were the

Sweeping Changes

Possible

SPECIAL TO THE "TELEGRAPH" WASHINGTON, June 18 (UP),~~It Its learned that Colonel Henry SUm-' vene does not impress us. Kindness son, Secretary of War, may receive

he is powerless to

inter

has always proved a more potent a sweeping plan to reorganise the

that the General Agent is agent not for the Immigration Omeer but for "tctless treatment" by Mr Forrest of training force than the threat of army air corps to unify its direction the public who deal with him, and the Bank of China and of Mr Ma punishment for both children and und Inercase its independence.

therefore he handles no publle Taul

The air corps status would become

out,

deck used

"United The au-

moneys, Government supervision of allegatio J.P. and "most serious animals: it might with advantage beimliar to the marine corps with a

made by Major C. M. tried in the case of heads of govern- single head directing the his accounts is unnecessary, and he Manners and Mr W. J. Keswick rement departments. should not be called upon to give Kurding Mr Forrest's behaviour on

Appointment of Special Officer Sintes Army Air Forces." security for the due performance of board the s.s. President Monroe.

thority Is at

at present divkled between If the man in the street is late in three Generals. is unfortunate that Mr Keswick his duties, Suffice it to say that in

U.S. Naval Reserves the course of the examination of Mr could not appear and be questioned his payment of war taxation or water Kobza It transpired that Mr Forrest by Mr Forrest. We have, however, rates Government has in force a most

and effective The Insistent

WASHINGTON, June 10 (UP) follow-up had authorised him to issue tempor-no hesitation In necepting

The Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Holp Bombed Civilians in Britainary permits without reference to Mr evidence given that Mr Forrest, when system which very soon ensures y Frank Knox, to-day announced that

rate-payer is ordered to Forrest. This, we would point ofcially visiting a ship flying the ment. If

naval reserve officers serving in the is n clear unauthorized delegation American flag, showed bad temperante a nuisance only a very short merchant marine may be ordered to elapses before the Government setive duty without their consent." of the duties of the Immigration and

and Irritability, and on

which department concerned calls on him He disclosed that the navy is seeking Involves the isque and language and gestures for

We are in-and assures itself that the necessary to enllat from 12,000 to 15,000 men Old clothes of all descriptions

of n form of permit there can be no excuse. which

clined to the opinion that Mr For- work has been well done. Cannot the Ordinance makes are badly needed for Men, no statutory provision and is rest at that time was so overworked omething of the same kind be done Jetton in that is befit opens ob- and was so suffering from insomnia te teger de cavernment departmentar

If we

were an officer

with

• Women and Children In that section in that the permit forms arej as to have lost that measure of self the ductually and effectively car- of seeing lint orders given unnumbered, are not audit forms, control which is so essential in deal- were Bombed Areas in Britain. Such and have never been submitted to ing with the public, and perhaps parried out, Secretariat Alen would cease

Government's financial officers for ticularly no when dealing on gifts will be received by the approval or examination.

foreign ship with

ave had to read, Of the whole matter of the ap- and national those of other races/to be, as are so many of those wo

Mr Forrest's con-

read, a mere record of

The Fellowship of the Bellows B. W. O. F., c/o Government pointment of Mr Kobza as general the considerations we have justly recommend to Your Excellency the has now contributed $15,000 to

duct on this occasion may be pallat-calamity on calamity. We confident- agent we take a

a very grave Vlow ed Houso, during office hours, ndverse to Mr Forrest. We cannot mentioned, but it cannot be excused. Initiation of some such innovation in the Bomber Fund, the third cheque for $5,000 having been Mondays to Fridays from 9.30 on the conclusion that, having nd It was a most regrettable hannening. the government of the Colony.

Our thanks are due to Mr Barnett, received yesterday. The appeal of a monopoly

General Administration our Secretary, on whose shoulders "with the enthusiasm of a convert" Under the heading of the general has fallen

to members whose subscriptions the task of analysing a alm. to 4 p.m., allowing for Mr Forrest, despite the adverse de-administration of the department wx large number of fles and making were overdue, has met with n cision of the Governor in Council, took the opportunity, during Mr For-the contents thereef speedily and good response, although there Lunch Interval and Saturdays determined to persist in the appoint- rest's illness, to visit the main once intelligibly available to us, to Mr are still some procrastinators. ment of Mr Kobza as agent in a pre-at Mariria House, the passport and P. Murphy of the Crown Sollel-The membership is increasing from 9.30 am until 1 p.m.ferential position to other agents. deposit refund once and the depot at tor's Office for taking proofs of wit antisfactorily, having passed The provision in the agreement for West Point. Even at that time, when nesses for us, and to our steno- its termination by three months the flood of applicants was obviously graphers, Miss Ezra of the Supreme the 2,600 mark.

resist voented Use

have

Big Cheque From The "Bellows"

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