§ 26. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he Rill state the length of time the 16 Communists arrested in Jaffa during Lord Balfour's visit to Palestine were kept in prison without trial; and whether it is proposed to pay compensation to them?
Mr. ORMSBYGOREI am informedbythe High Commissioner that the 16 men were arrested and charged under the Prevention of Crime Ordinance, 1920. They were remanded in custody for one week pending inquiry. Two were then released by order of the District Court, Jaffa, and the rest remanded another six days, when prosecution was abandoned, since the Court had only power under the Ordinance to bind over and it was known that the accused were not in a position to furnish the required security. Failure to give security would have resulted in further detention in prison and the Palestine police authorities did not deem it necessary or desirable to pursue this course. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative