The officer in question has been informed that the procedure adopted was improper and the Secretary of State has directed that it shall not be resorted to again, Dr. Drummond Shiels, the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, said in the House of Commons this afternoon, in reply to Mr. P. Freeman (Labour), who asked him whether he was yet in a position to give the House any information concerning the method adopted in a case in Palestine of allowing witnesses in court to give evidence behind screens.
A report has been received from the High Commissioner, Dr. Shiels said. In two cases tried by the District Court under the Prevention of Crimes Ordinance, three witnesses were allowed to give evidence behind screens. The Officer who tried the cases has reported that in the first case the evidence of the two witnesses concerned was of no value. The evidence of the third witness which was given in the second of the two cases was superfluous, as the court had ample evidence from other witnesses on the only point at issue.
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