PALESTINE MANDATE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 143, 16 May 1930, Page 7

PALESTINE MANDATE

GENERAL SITUATION. STATEAIENT TO THE LEAGUE. BRITAIN’S EFFORTS. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received Alay 16, 12.30 p.m. RUGBY, May 15. At a meeting of tho Council of the League of Nations this morning, Mr Arthur Henderson made a statement regarding the general situation in Palestine. Air Henderson said that the Council was aware that the Commission of Inquiry into the disturbances of last August in Palestine had presented its report. That report would form the subject of a discussion by tho Permanent Alandates Commission. The British Government had increased the British military forces in Palestine. It had considered with its expert advisers the question of the garrison permanently required in that country, and pending a clear decision on this subject it did not propose to make any reduction in the present force. A highly qualified police official, Air Dowbiggin, of Ceylon, was sent in January to consider the reorganisation of the police. His full report had not yet been received, but certain interim recommendations for tho better protection of the Jewish colonies had been adopted and were being put into force. Tho British section of the police had been increased by 400 men, and a further increase of 79 men was now being made. The commission, in its report, bad laid special emphasis on problems relating to land and immigration, and the British Government had selected Sir John Hope Simpson to proceed forthwith to Palestine in order to confer with the High Commissioner and report on land settlement, immigration and development. Air Henderson then referred to the presence in England of the Arab delegation from Palestine, with whom a discussion regarding tho future policy in the country had taken place. Lt was enough to say of those discussions that they had placed the British Government, in full possession of the views of leading Arabs regarding the aspirations of the Arab community. The British Government was now engaged on an examination of the problem of devising means within the framework of the mandate to satisfy legitimate aspirations and remove any apprehensions that might be entertained. Air Henderson added that he proposed to submit for the approval of the Council in private the names of three gentlemen who would be prepared to accept service on the commission to deal with the dispute over the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.