HC Deb 03 March 1948 vol 448 cc381-2
39. Brigadier Head

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received any reply from the Palestine Government in answer to his representations regarding the destruction or surrender of a copy of a document exhibited at the trial of Captain R. A. Farran.

Mr. Rees-Williams

Yes, Sir. The Palestine Government have agreed to destroy the copy of the document in their possession.

Brigadier Head

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Palestine Government have stated that they will not destroy this document until 1st April, and does he consider this delay is an attempt to continue their policy of bureaucratic inertia?

Mr. Rees-Williams

I was not aware of that decision. I understand that if the document has not already been destroyed, it very shortly will be destroyed, but I am bound to point out that Captain Farran's solicitors wrote a letter of a kind I have never seen written before by solicitors, and if they want prompt attention to requests they should convey their desire in a courteous and proper form.

Brigadier Head

May I ask the hon. Gentleman if he is aware that I, also, have seen that letter and the previous letters, and the behaviour of the Palestine Government in this respect in my opinion not only deserves that letter, but a letter of that kind is the only type calculated to get a move on?

Mr. Rees-Williams

As the hon. and gallant Member is aware, I was a practising solicitor for many years and I have never seen such a document, and as a solicitor I was ashamed to read a letter of that kind from a firm.

Mr. Speaker

This looks like becoming, a legal argument.