PALESTINE MANDATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20725, 19 November 1930, Page 11

PALESTINE MANDATE.

BRITISH LABOUR POLICY.

BIG DEVELOPMENT LOAN.

JEWS' AND ARABS' INTERESTS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received November 18, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 17. In the House of Commons to-day the Leader pf the Liberals, Mr. Lloyd George, drew attention to the recent White Paper on Palestine, which he alleged was unjust both to the Jews and the Arabs. Tho Government appeared not to have consulted any one before the issue of tha White Paper.

"If the British Government cannot carry out the mandate," said Mr. George, " let us offer it elsewhere."

Dr. Drummond Shiels, Under-Secretary to the Colonial Office, said the Arabs formed four-fifths ol: the population of Palestine. The Government desired to give a fair deal both to the Arabs and tho Jews.

Repeatedly the Government had affirmed its intention of carrying out tho full mandate and it stood by that. In regard to the projected development scheme Dr. Shiels said It was necessary to provide for an expenditure of a sum not exceeding £2,500,030. A large part of the money would bo devoted to productive works, such as irrigation, drainage and other schemes designed to increase the general productivity of the country and which would provide for the settlement on the land of about 10,000 families. In view of the present financial situation in Palestine t'iie only way such a sum could be provided was by a loan under the guarantee: of the British Government-. After Christmas a bill to authorise the necessary guarantee would h® introduced in Parliament.

The scncmc was intended in the first place to provide for those landless Arabs who could be shown i;o have been dispossessed as a result; of land passing into Jewish hands. . 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 making possible further opportunities for Jewish land settlement.