Hugh Mercer

Officer with Department of Trade and Customs in Melbourne. Inspected James Minahan on his arrival in Melbourne and applied the Dictation Test.

Family name

  • Mercer

Given names

  • Hugh
  • James

Mentioned in

Chapter 1: An unexpected welcome

Paragraph 3

  • …briefly seen by Customs Officer Hugh Mercer. But, since it was a …
  • …it was a Sunday and Mercer had no Chinese interpreter with …
  • …day to formally examine them. Mercer returned on Monday and, with …
  • …the saloon of the Wollowra. Mercer also spoke to ‘a reputable …

Paragraph 4

  • …under the Immigration Restriction Act Mercer needed to establish whether the …
  • …to the possibilities of fraud, Mercer suspected that the certificate did …
  • …to him. After interviewing Minahan, Mercer was not convinced of his …
  • …Test. Through interpreter Harry Hoyling, Mercer told Minahan that he was …
  • …not write out the passage. Mercer informed him that he was …

Paragraph 13

  • …taken for Melbourne Customs Officer Hugh Mercer and Chinese interpreter Harry Hoyling …