The action of the Government in regard to Jewish settlement on the land has been similar to that taken with regard to immigration, that is, it has removed unfavourable discrimination imposed by the Ottoman legislation, and given equal opportunity to all persons to acquire land and register it in their own name. The amount of land acquired by Jews during the last three years is as follows: In 1921-100,000 donums (about 25,000 acres), of a value of £E.600,000; in 1922-45,000 donums, of a value of E.700,000; in 1923-34,440 donums. In June, 1922, His Majesty's Government published a White Paper*, which embodied a statement of its policy in relation to Palestine. In November, 1923, His Majesty's Government published a further White Papert containing correspondence with the High Commissioner for Palestine on the proposed formation of the Arab Agency. Registry 110 ... 2. Question.-What measures have been taken to place the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the development of self-governing institutions? What are the effects of these measures? For reference, see: Reports on Palestine Administration. 1922. 1923. 3. Question.-What measures have been taken to place the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will safeguard the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race or religion? What are the effects of these measures? Answer. For reference, see: Palestine Order in Council, Section 51-54, 1922. II.-AUTONOMOUS ADMINISTRATION (Article 3). Question. What measures have been taken to local autonomy? What are the effects of these measures? encourage Answer. The Ottoman Law of Municipalities has remained in operation, but owing to the absence of electoral registers it has not been possible to hold municipal elections. Consequently, the Municipal Councils which exist in 21 towns have hitherto since the Occupation been nominated. Various Ordinances passed by the Government enlarge the powers of the Municipal bodies. A Municipal Loan Ordinance empowered Municipalities, subject to the sanction of the High Commissioner, to raise loans secured on the property and revenue of the Council. The system of Municipal taxation is in process of reform. In the larger towns Municipal Courts of honorary magistrates have been established, who deal with contraventions of Municipal By-laws, and with minor offences under the Penal Code. An Ordinance was passed in 1921 to provide for the establishment of elected Local Councils in the larger villages. These bodies exercise quasi-Municipal functions, may levy rates on the property of the village, and impose certain fees enumerated in the Order establishing each Council, and with the approval of a District Governor may issue By-laws for securing good order in the village. III. JEWISH AGENCY (Article 4). 1. Question. When, and in what manner, has the Jewish agency been officially recognised? Answer.-A committee appointed by the World Zionist Organisation is established in Palestine, and is officially recognised as a consultative body for the purpose of advising and co-operating with the Government in matters that may affect the establishment of a Jewish National Home in Palestine. 2.-Question. Has this agency given any advice to the Administration in the past year? If so, in what form, and in what connection? Answer.-A member of the Committee is granted a weekly interview at Government House, and the Committee correspond with the Government Departments on Departmental matters. 3. Question.-What is the nature and extent of the co-operation of this agency with the Administration of Palestine in economic, social and other matters? Answer. The Committee are consulted by the Administration in fixing the Schedule of the numbers of immigrants to be allowed entry, and the Zionist Organisation, through its agencies in Europe, participates in the selection thereof. The Zionist Committee maintains a complete system of education for the Jewish people. The expenditure in 1922-23 was £E.110,000. The Zionist Organisation maintains a medical unit (Hadassah) at an annual cost of E.90,000. 4. Question.-In what manner has this agency taken part in the development of the country (statistics of the results obtained)? Answer. The Zionist Committee has special branches for maintaining agricultural settlement, commerce and industry. Indirectly, the Zionist Committee has co-operated in several constructive public works undertaken by the Government. Thus, it advanced the money to the Government for the cost of laying a metalled road to the villages of Rishon le Zion and Rehobot from the main Jaffa-Jerusalem road, which forms the first part of a highway to be built to Gaza. The Jewish Co-operative Labour Association, a Lody supported by the Zionist Organisation, competes for contracts for the construction of roads and other public works. Among the works carried out by it for the Government are the Tiberias-Semakh road, and other roads in Galilee, 1 for a total price of about £E.150,000; the construction of a railway siding for the army at Sarafand, and of a branch line from Ras el Ain to the Jewish village of Petah Tikvah; the building of barracks at Jenin, and of a Government office at Ramleh. The total value of these Government and army contracts to the end of 1922 was nearly £E.200,000. 5. Question. -What steps have been taken in consultation with His Britannic Majesty's Government to secure the co-operation of all Jews who are willing to assist in the establishment of the Jewish national home? Answer. The Palestine Government is in touch with a number of organisations other than the Zionist Organisation, which have as their object to assist in the settlement of Jews in Palestine. In particular, the Palestine Economic Board, the Jewish Colonisation Association, and the Palestine Development Council constituted by Jews in the United States, the Alliance Israelite Universelle, whose headquarters are in Paris, and the Joint Distribution Committee for the Relief of War Sufferers who maintain Jewish orphans in Palestine. IV. IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION (Article 6). 1. Question.-What measures have been taken to facilitate Jewish immigration? An Immigration Officer of the Palestine Government was attached to the British Consulate at Trieste to assist in the selection and granting of visas to immigrants. This officer has now been transferred to Warsaw, where the bulk of the immigrants come, and the Trieste office has been closed. 2. Question. What measures have been taken to safeguard the rights and position of other sections of the population? Answer. The general principle regulating immigration into Palestine, namely, that it must be determined by the economic capacity of the country to absorb the new settlers, safeguards the other sections of the population from any serious disturbance of economic conditions. The figures of unemployed are carefully compiled from month to month by enquiry in all the districts. Where the figures have shown that there is a considerable number of persons out of work, whether new settlers or old residents, the immigration of working-people has of working-people has for a time been further restricted. 3. Question.-What measures have been taken in co-operation with the Jewish agency to encourage the close settlement by Jews on the land (give figures)? 4. Question.-What are the effects of these measures? Statistics of immigration (country of origin, religion, race, profession, age and sex). Geographical distribution within the country in the urban centres and in the rural districts. Some statistics for emigration. Answer.-Exact statistics are not available of the distribution of immigrants in urban and rural areas, but hitherto the vigorous building activity in the larger towns has attracted there the bulk of the new arrivals. The geographical distribution of the present Jewish population in the census of 1922 was: Municipal areas, 68,622; rural areas, 15,172. In a census estimate in 1920 it was 56,200 and 10,370, respectively. 1. Question.-How have State lands been defined and delimited? |