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 103

103 in particular, the recent postponement of extension works at Haifa and the unwillingness of Government to construct a second deep-water harbour, are likely seriously to jeopardise the safe shipping of the citrus crop as from the season 1938-39 onwards. 4. With the sole exception of the shipping season 1935-36, during which the crop was abnormally small, storage accommodation at the port of Haifa has never yet been sufficient to dispense with the stacking of part of the fruit in the open air. Heavy losses have been caused to the industry on this account. 5. The rolling stock at the disposal of the Palestine Railways is insufficient for dealing with that part of the citrus crop which is shipped via Haifa. 6. The Jaffa-Haifa Road has not been constructed, although the need for its speedy completion was constantly urged on the Government in recent years. 7. The number and length of rural roads between the citrus groves and the villages or settlements, and of feeder roads to connect the latter with the main roads and the railway stations, has for years past fallen far below the minimum required for the effective transport of the citrus crop. 8. Government has failed to promote effective investigations into the cause of decay of citrus fruit during transport by sea and by the evolution of appropriate methods for its prevention. VII. GRANTS-IN-AID The Jewish Agency considers the subventions receivd by the Jewish health and education services to be inadequate, having regard to the needs of the Jewish population and to its contribution to Revenue. It furthermore takes exception to the discrimination against Rabbinical Courts which do not receive any grantin-aid from Government like Sharia Courts. The Jewish Agency would refer to the detailed submissions made with regard to these grievances by the General Council of the Jewish Community (Vaad Leumi) in their memorandum. It would also draw attention to the claims submitted by the Muncipal Corporation of Tel Aviv which it desires to support. VIII. PUBLIC WORKS & SERVICES 1. It is a grievance of the Jewish Agency that Government has not followed a definite policy of ensuring to the Jews a fair share of employment in the public works, in the Ports and Railways, in the Police Force and in the Civil Service generally. 2. The share of Jewish labour in public works and services should, in the submission of the Jewish Agency, correspond to the ratio of the Jewish population to the total population. It should thus be fixed at present at 30% of the total personnel. This