A QUESTION AS TO THE LOYALTY OF THE PALESTINE CIVIL SERVICE PRECIPITATED A ROW IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TODAY WHEN COLONIAL SECRETARY WILLIAM ORMSBY-GORE WAS SHOUTED DOWN FOR HAVING FAILED TO GIVE A SATISFACTORY REPLY.
LABORITE COL. JOSIAH WEDGWOOD HAD DEMANDED PUBLICATION OF THE NAMES AND OFFICES OF 137 OFFICIALS WHO SIGNED A MEMORANDUM TO THE PALESTINE GOVERNMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE VIOLENT ARAB GENERAL STRIKE LAST YEAR AND ASKED WHAT ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN ON THE OFFICIALS CONCERNED. MR. ORMSBY-GORE REPLIED:
“I SEE NO ADVANTAGE IN TAKING ACTION ALONG THE LINES SUGGESTED AND I AM NOT PREPARED TO DO SO.”
COL. WEDGWOOD: “IS THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER (SIR HAROLD ALFRED MACMICHAEL) BEING INSTRUCTED TO ELIMINATE FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE DISLOYAL ELEMENTS AND MAKE THE REST OF THE SERVICE OBEY ORDERS?”
MR. ORMSBY-GORE: “I DO NOT THINK IT IS PROPER FOR ME TO ANSWER SUCH AN IMPROPER QUESTION.”
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY’S FURTHER REMARKS WERE DROWNED BY OUTBURSTS FROM THE OPPOSITION BENCHES. TOM WILLIAMS, LABORITE, THEN ASKED: “HAS THE MINISTER INFORMATION THAT ANY OF THESE OFFICIALS HAS BEEN ACTIVELY DISLOYAL?”
MR. ORMSBY-GORE REPLIED: “NO. I AM QUITE SATISFIED THAT THE PALESTINE CIVIL SERVICE IS MOST LOYAL IN CARRYING OUT GOVERNMENT POLICY.”
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY GEOFFREY MANDER, LIBERAL, ON WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED TO SEND THE NEW COMMISSION TO PALESTINE, THE COLONIAL SECRETARY SAID: “NOT AT PRESENT.”
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