A MISSING DOCUMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 May 1927, Page 9

A MISSING DOCUMENT

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF RAID SECRET SAFES DISCOVERED By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright LONDON, Sunday. An official account Of the raid on Soviet House was issued last night. It explained that an important document was missed from a Government office a few months ago, for which detectives had been searching con tinuously. In consequence of information received a few days ago the police obtained a search warrant under the Official Secrets Act. The search of the offices of Arcos, Ltd. was primarily in order to ascertain if the missing document was in the building. Work on the safes and strongrooms continued throughout Saturday. A powerful apparatus was utilised for drilling into the concrete and cutting the steel. The “Sunday Express” says three more secret safes were found on another floor. These were skilfully secreted behind innocent-looking panelling. The paper says it understands the vital document was not found, but that papers which are regarded as very very important were discovered. Some of the papers are believed to

expose the secrets of the Soviet organisation throughout the world. Others are thought to relate to the Soviet’s activities in Britain. The search and the translation of the papers is proceeding day and night. The process is not likely to be completed until the end of the week. The diplomatic correspodent of the “Observer” says the raid has caused embarrassment at Downing Street. The Foreign Office was not consulted before the raid was made, though it was bound to be diplomatically important and serious. In official quarters it is admitted that the raid will force the Foreign Office to declare its policy in regard to Russia at a moment when it had special reasons for letting sleeping dogs lie. It seems as if the old controversy within the Cabinet has been forced to a climax, says the correspondent.—A. and N.Z. The management of Acros, Ltd., issued a statement after midnight saying it knew of no reason for the police action. If it had been requested to produce its papers it would have done so at any time without making “this melodramatic and sensational” method necessary. The secretary of the company said nothing of importance would be found. The “Daily Express” says it is understood that the main reason for the raid was the fact that War Office documents had mysteriously disappeared. An armed guard is still present in the building and the police may remain in occupation for some days. The Soviet Embassy announces that the Mauser rifles which were discovered in the building were samples of hunting rifles which Arcos, Ltd., exports under licence from the British Government.