§ 41. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that James Northrop, a British subject and an ex-sergeant major in the Royal Army Service Corps, against whom a charge of fraudulent conversion was made, of which he was subsequently acquitted, was detained in prison for 18 days at Acre; whether Northrop was confined with prisoners of all sorts, including native Bedouin and Russian Jews, in a common cell with as many, at times, as 38 prisoners of whom Northrop was the only white man; whether the manager of one of the biggest British firms in Palestine offered to stand bail for him, which was refused; and whether he is able to make any statement on this incident which will allay the feelings of the British Colony in Palestine?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is a fact that James Northrop was on remand in Acre Prison from the 18th November, 1921, until the 2nd December of that year. I called for a report upon the incident on the 6th May. The reply received from the officer administering the Government of Palestine did not give all the information required, and in a further despatch, dated the 24th June, to which no reply has yet been received, I called for further details. A telegraphic reminder has now been sent to the High Commissioner, and upon the receipt of his reply I shall be happy to give the hon. Member the information for which he asks.