DETENTION OF JEWS

Chronicle (Levin), 28 November 1946, Page 5

DETENTION OF JEWS

Press Assn

High Court Case Adjourned HUNDREDS CROWD COURTROOM

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

Received Thursday, 11 a.m. JERUSALEM, NoV. 27. The High Court has adjourned e final decision 011 the hab©as corpus case on the removal of about 3000 Jewish refugees from Palestine. The Chief Secretary of the Pal estine Government, Mr. H. L. G. Gurney, revealed during the hearing that the draft order for the detention and deportation of the Jews from the illegal ship' Lokhita was sent to Jaffa for signature half an hour after the ship enterea Pal-estinian waters. Officials stated that the High Court adjournment meant that the order nisi stood, and even if the Jews were deported to Cyprus they would have to remain available in case the court desired their return to Jerusalem. Hundreds of Jews were unable to gain admittance to the heavilyguarded and crowded courtroom when the legal battle to decide the fate of the lalest batch of illegal Jewish immigrants opened before the Chief Justice, Sir William Fitzgerald. In evidence, Mr. Gurney said the immigrants were transhipped to three sea transports in Haifa Harbour because of the appalling conditions of the Lokhita. The transhipment was also based on the assumption that the passengers were illegal immigrants. The Arab Bar Association har sent a cable to the Arab League Council ancl Palestine Arab Higher Committee, now meeting in Cairo, urging their intervention if the High Court issues writs of habeas corpus enabling the Lokhita immigrants to enter instead of being deported.