Political report of the Executive of the Jewish Agency submitted to the ... Zionist Congress and the ... session of the Council of the Jewish Agency · 1937-08-01 · 8.1937 · p. Seite 12

12 ministration of government. The scheme further invested the High Commissioner with the power to promulgate any measure which he considered expedient "in the interest of public faith or good government" if it had twice been introduced in the Council and rejected by the latter. The High Commissioner was further invested with the power to legislate when the Council was not sitting in regard to urgent expenditure or in regard to measures required for the maintenance of public security, or otherwise in the interest of good government, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State. He was further to have the power to prorogue and dissolve the Council and, subject to the approval of His Majesty's Government, to postpone the holding of general elections beyond the normal interval of twelve months. As regards the paramount issue of immigration, the fixing of the labour schedule was to rest with the High Commissioner, but unofficial members might move a resolution, objecting to or criticising the schedule granted. No resolution or amendment was to be moved in the Council which called in question the validity of the Mandate and suggested that it be abolished or disregarded. 12. In reply to the High Commissioner's communication Dr. Weizmann, on behalf of the Jewish Agency, made the following statement. "We have already had a number of opportunities of stating to Your Excellency our views on the subject of a Legislative Council and the reasons of our consistent opposition to its establishment. I can therefore content myself on the present occasion with a very brief statement. The matter has been very carefully considered by the authoritative bodies of the Jewish Agency and the following resolution has been adopted by the last Zionist Congress and the Council of the Jewish Agency." Dr. Weizmann here read the full text of the Congress and Council resolution on the Legislative Council, (see Appendix II, Para. 6) and continued as follows: "This, Sir, sums up our position. If there has been any change in the situation since Congress, it certainly has been to accentuate the apprehensions set forth in this resolution. The developments of the international situation and the course of recent events in Palestine make the establishment of a Legislative Council even more untimely than was previously held. We regret the setting up of the proposed Legislative Council as in-