BRITAIN AND PALESTINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20355, 9 September 1929, Page 12

BRITAIN AND PALESTINE.

COLONIAL OFFICE REPOIIT.

REFERENCE AT GENEVA.

SITUATION NOW IN HAND.

British Wirrlrps. BUGBY. Sept. G. At a meeting of the Council of the League of Nations at Geneva Mr. ,1. Procopo,// Finnish Foreign Minister, who reported, on the mandates, referred to tho disturbances in Palestine. ITe said lliat ns tho Council was indirectly responsible for tho yrclfaro of tho inhabitants of Palestine fhey were anxious that tho British representative should enlighten them as far as possible. Mr. Arthur Henderson, British Foreign Minister, said tho British Government regarded tho mandate for Palestino in tho light- of a trusteeship. 110 thought tho Primo Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, in his speech had fully expressed tho British Govenupent's regret at tho disturbances.

Although order had now been almost completely restored, it was difficult to give any definite explanation of tho circumstances in which tho disturbances began. Tho situation was now well in hand. // .

Mr. Henderson laid emphasis on tho faut that martial law had never been resorted to.

" Sly Government," ho said, " has already issued a statement showing what steps have been taken to ascertain tho immediate causes of tho dispute, and a commission under Sir Walter Shaw is being organised for this purposo.

" I npy remind you that a declaration as to its policy in Palestino has already been issued by tho British Government, and it is fully prepared to observo all its obligations under tho mandate. Tho inquiry instituted is for tho immediate needs of tho situation, and will not extend to any questions of major policy."'

The Colonial Office states that tho situation Palestine is reported to bo quiet. In all districts British forces arc actively employed in searching for hidden arms and apprehending suspected persons.

In tho Safcd and Haifa districts tho Jewish 'colonies are being reoccupied. There is no confirmation of nnofficial reports which liavo been circulated to tho effect that an engagement has taken placo at Gaza, in which tho British forces were alleged to have been in action against Bedouins from Sinai Peninsula, and to have suffered heavy losses. On the contrary, later official reports from tho same area indicate that all is quiet there.

PROTEST BY MOSLEMS.

BRITISH PROCLAMATION.

APPEAL TO THE LEACUE. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. JERUSALEM, Sept. 6. Tho Supreme Moslem Executive Committee has resolved to protest against the alleged bias of the proclamation issued by the British High' Commissioner, Sir John Chancellor.

-The- protest will be forwarded to the Mandates Committee of the League of Nations and also t'o" the British Colonial Office. Two influential emissaries will deliver it to the Colonial Office.