§ 31. Mr. KILEYasked the Home Secretary if instructions were given to the police engaged in the recent military raids in East London to arrest persons who appeared to be of military age regardless of the production of papers showing them 582 to be exempt or discharged from the Army; and, if so, by what Statute or Order in Council were such steps taken to cause the arrest of such persons?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT(Sir George Cave)The answer to the first question is in the negative, and the second does not arise.
§ 32. Mr. KILEYasked the Home Secretary how many men and boys were arrested and detained at Commercial Street police depot and other police stations of the district in the last two raids; how many were boys of the age of sixteen and under; and how many men were charged at the Police Court for offences under the Military Service Act?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe number of persons taken to the section-house on 27th April for examination of papers was 216, of whom twenty-five proved to be under sixteen. On 18th May the numbers were 640 and sixty. The numbers of men charged under the Military Service Act were four on the first occasion and nine on the second.
§ Mr. TREVELYANWill the right hon. Gentleman say how many Boy Scouts were arrested on the occasion?
§ Sir G. CAVEI do not believe that any were arrested.
§ 78. Mr. KILEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if John Rearder, the hall porter of Toynbee Hall, Whitechapel, who had been rejected on three different occasions, was arrested on Friday, 18th May, 1917, by an Australian soldier and taken to the police depot, Commercial Street, E., and detained with some hundreds of other men and boys despite the production of his medical certificate, and was only released, after several hours' detention, on the application of the warden of Toynbee Hall, who stated that serious consequences might arise if he were not released; if the arrest by Colonial soldiers of citizens of this country was authorised by the Army Council or the Secretary of State for War; and, if not, what action does he propose to take to prevent a repetition of such arrests as described above of citizens who are in possession of exemption and other legal papers?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)This man of military age was detained for about an 583 hour until his papers were examined and found satisfactory. He was not released on the application of the warden of Toynbee Hall and he was not arrested by an Australian soldier. The military police at the request of the Metropolitan Police rendered assistance on this occasion owing to the somewhat hostile attitude of the crowd. Dominion military police assisted, as there are a number of Dominion deserters and absentees throughout London.