BRITISH POLICY IN PALESTINE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20089, 19 November 1930, Page 11

BRITISH POLICY IN PALESTINE.

LIBERAL CRITICISM. INJUSTICE ALLEGED. (UNITED F&ES3 ASSOCIATION —E7 KLECTBIC TII.EOaA.PH— COPTtttOHT./ (Received November ISth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 17. In the House of Commons. Mr Lloyd George (Liberal Leader) drew attention to the recent Palestine \Ylute Pa pur, which he ;ii!Cged was unjust to both Jews and Arabs. The Government appeared not to have consulted anyone before the issue of the White Paper. "If the British Government cannot carry out tho mandate,"' he said, "let lis offer it elsewhere." A British. Ofiicial Wireless message says that Dr. DrummonJ Shie's, the Colonial Under-Secretary, emphasised in runiv iJuit rjavprmnpTit hid repeatedly affirmed its intention of carrying out rhe full mandate, and it stood l.v that Regarding tho projected development scheme, he said t was necessary to provide for an expenditure net exceeding £2,500,000, a large part of which would be devoted to productive work. Mich as irrigation, drainage, and other schemes designed to increase the general productivity of the country, and which would provide lor the settlement on the land of about 10,000 families. In view of the present financial situation in Palestine, the only way such a sum could be provided was bv a loan under the guarantee of the British Government. After Christmas, a Bill authorising the necessary guarantee would be introduced. The scheme was intended in the first place to provide. for those landless Arabs who could be shown to have been dispossessed as a result of the land passing into Jewish hands, and any balance would be available for both Jewish and Arab settlement The scheme was surely proof that the Government, was not only attending to the needs of the landless Arabs, but was also making possible further opportunities for Jewish land settlement. Dr. Shiels emphasised that the Arabs fanned four-fifths ef Palestine's population, and tbe Government desired to give a fair deal to both the Arabs and the Jews.