Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 430

certificates by the Government from its own recent estimates, on account of alleged unauthorised settlement, has been the cause of very considerable disappointment. 4. In addition, a large variety of other questions were dealt with from time to time, including various matters of an administrative or an economic character. In the latter connection, stress was laid on the need for developing Palestine's markets abroad in consonance with her rapid agricultural and industrial growth, and the possibilities > were discussed of providing, within the framework of Article 18 of the Mandate, for reciprocity as between Palestine and the countries from which she receives the bulk of her imports. 5. T-he case was also pressed for extending to Palestine the benefits of Imperial Preference. As regards this the negative attitude of the Government remains unchanged, the view taken being,, that, while the Government was anxious to do everything possible to help, a definite opinion as regards the legal position had been given by the Law Officers of the Crown, and that that opinion was unfavourable to the grant of Imperial Preference to Palestine. The ground on which the decision was based was that Palestine is not a British possession, and that the grant of Preference might accordingly be held to conflict with England's " most-favourednation " Treaties with other countries. In this connection the following extract from the Minutes of the 25th Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission is of importance " Mr. Hall replied that the difficulties encountered by His Majesty's Government when it considered the question (of Imperial Preference) arose out of the most-favoured-nation clause of its commercial treaties with foreign countries. It was impossible to grant Imperial Preference to Palestine if as a result States with most-favoured-nation rights in the United Kingdom would thereby also be entitled to claim it. A number of States had been consulted and had replied to the effect that they considered that they would in fact be entitled to claim it, and His Majesty's Government had therefore decided to take no further action in the matter." 6. Among other matters which arose may be mentioned the proposed legislation with regard to the composition of the Courts in Palestine, restrictions in regard to the admission to practice in Palestine of doctors and lawyers, the proposal to introduce an income-tax, the measures taken at various times against unauthorised settlers, the operation of the anti-picketing ordinance, and finally, the general opposition which was felt to the withdrawal of Palestinian citizenship when once granted. Representations were also made in connection with the assignment to Jewish interests of the Huleh Concession. The Government's consent to the conditions of the assignment was, in fact, obtained within a few days of the expiry of the option held by the Palestine Land Development Company from the original concessionaires. 7. The determined opposition of the Jewish Agency to the establishment of a Legislative" Council at the present stage of ,43°