HIGHLY EXAGGERATED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 8, 4 October 1941, Page 10

HIGHLY EXAGGERATED

Minister On Reports Of Isle Of Man Trouble (British Official Wireless.) (Received October 3, 5.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October 2. Replying in the House of Commons to questions relating to the recent disturbances in a camp in the Isle of Mfm where a number of British subjects are interned under the Defence Regulations, and from which three recently escaped, the Home Secretary, Mr. Morrison, said the demonstration when these were returned was due to misundersttmdings regarding the treatment these'men were subject to. . The internees thought these men were being starved, when in fact they had been given a meal by the naval patrol which captured them. The details of the disturbauce, Mr. Morrison said, had been highly exaggerated. In fact, no assault had been made on anyone, though the demonstrators did break some windows and cause damage to buildings. Mr. Morrison pointed out that the persons interned at this camp were not undergoing punitive detention, and in consequence the terms of their captivity had been made as easy as possible. The maintenance of good order had been entrusted mainly ;to fhe internees themselves. If they were not able to govern themselves other steps would have to be taken.

Identification of the actual ringleaders, he said, was difficult because of the darkness, but he proposed to transfer to prison certain persons in the camp who were most likely to have been responsible. The three men who escaped would be tried by ordinary criminal process on charges for offences alleged to have been committed by them after their escape. ' j I 20 INTERNEES JAILED (Received October 3, 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 3. Following swiftly on Mr. Morrison’s | statement, 20 internees, including sev- ■: oral members of the 1.R.A., were removed from the Peel camp on the Isle of Man to prison, and will be transferred to prison in England today.