Justice. The Courts in Palestine are either civil or religious courts. The former have jurisdiction over local subjects in all matters save those of personal status and charitable endowments, and over foreign subjects in all matters, subject to the provisions mentioned below. Civil Courts. There is a Magistrate's Court in every sub-district and, in the larger towns, such as Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Haifa, two such courts. The Magistrate is in every case a Palestinian and has jurisdiction in first instance in minor criminal cases of which the punishment is not more than one year's imprisonment, and in civil cases where the value of the subject matter does not exceed £E. 100. He has also jurisdiction in actions for the recovery of the possession of land. There are four District Courts, each composed of a British President and two Palestinian members. They serve respectively the district of Jerusalem, the sub-districts of Jaffa and Gaza, the Northern District and the district of Samaria; and go on circuit within the area of their jurisdiction. A District Court has jurisdiction in first instance in all crimes other than those punishable with death and civil cases not within the jurisdiction of a Magistrate, and also hears appeals from the decisions of Magistrates both in civil and in criminal cases, except in cases for the recovery of the possession of land. Crimes punishable with death will be tried by a Court of Criminal Assize composed of the Chief Justice or a British Judge of the Supreme Court sitting with the District Court. The Constitution provides for the establishment of a Supreme Court which will sit either in the form of a Court of Appeal or as a High Court. The Court of Appeal is composed of a British Chief Justice, a British Judge and four Palestinian members. A division of this court normally consists of the Chief Justice or the British Judge and two Palestinian members. It has appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters decided in first instance by the District Courts, and in actions for the recovery of the possession of land decided by Magistrates. It also hears appeals from the Land Courts. The High Court will have jurisdiction to hear and determine such matters as are not causes or trials, but petitions or applications not within the jurisdiction of any other Court and necessary to be decided for the administration of justice. A bench of honorary magistrates has been established in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa, who try contraventions for which the maximum penalty does not exceed £E. 5 fine and 15 days' imprisonment. Special arrangements exist in the Beersheba District, where minor cases are disposed of according to tribal custom by the Court of Sheikhs. A British Judge visits Beersheba every month to hear appeals from the local courts and to try more serious criminal cases. Two special Land Courts have been established to deal with suits in which the ownership of land is in issue, one for the Northern District and one for the Districts of Jerusalem and the South. The courts are composed of a British President and a Palestinian Judge. In the Samaria District, the District Court deals with land cases as well as with other civil actions. The Palestine Order-in-Council contains special rules for the trial of foreigners who are defined as 66 'any person who is a national or subject of a European or American State or Japan," excluding Ottoman subjects, and inhabitants of a territory protected by, or administered under a Mandate granted to, a European State. The rules provide that a foreigner accused of an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding 15 days may claim to be tried by a British Magistrate, and a foreigner accused of an offence not triable by a Magistrate may claim that the investigation shall be undertaken by a British Magistrate and that at the trial the Court shall contain a majority of British judges. In civil cases tried by the District Court a foreigner may claim that at least one member of the Court shall be a British judge, and in appeals heard by the Supreme Court, that the Court shall contain a majority of British judges. Matters of personal status affecting foreigners, other than Moslems, are decided by the District Courts which apply the Personal Law of the parties concerned, that is the law of the nationality of the foreigner unless that law imports the law of his domicile. The District Court, in trying such matters, is constituted by the British President sitting alone, who may, however, call in a Consul or representative of the Consulate to sit as an assessor for the purpose of advising him upon the Personal Law. The official languages of the Courts are English, Arabic and Hebrew. Religious Courts. All matters of personal status affecting Moslems are within the jurisdiction of the Sharia Courts. A Sharia Court consists of a Kadi, and appeals from his decision lie to the Moslem Court of Appeal, which is composed of a President and two members. Jewish Religious Courts have exclusive jurisdiction in certain matters of personal status of Jews, and jurisdiction by consent in other matters. An appeal from the decision of the Jewish Religious Courts lies to the Rabbinical Council. Other religious communities (such as the Latin and Orthodox) retain the courts and jurisdiction which they enjoyed in the Turkish régime. Production and Industry. Although economic conditions are still primitive, modern methods are making headway and hold out hopes of development and progress. The country is generally fertile, and cereals, wine, olives and various fruits are produced, while sheep and goats thrive both in the lowlands and in the mountains. For the most part the crops are raised without irrigation, except where springs exist, and on the banks of the Auja, in the district of Jaffa. There are generally two cereal crops each year, harvested in May and September. For the area under British Administration, exclusive of Transjordan, the following are the figures of cereal and fruit production, and of the taxable animal census, 1921-22. Limestone is found all over the country; sandstone abounds on the coast; gypsum of good quality is found at Mount Gipsia near Menahemiah (Galilee). Rock salt abounds in the Jordan Valley and on the shores of the Dead Sea, where sulphur is also obtainable. Mineral oil is said to be found, but pending the ratification of the Mandate no work on concessions is permitted. The Dead Sea contains cooking salt, carnallite, and bromide. There are medical hot springs in the Jordan Valley, the most important being at Tiberias. The only industries of export importance are those of wine-making, especially in the Jewish Colonies, Zichron-Jacob, Rishon-le-Zion, and Petah Tikva; soap-boiling in Nablus and Haifa; olive oil in Nablus, Acre, and the district round Jaffa, Oranges, grown chiefly in the Jaffa District, are exported to Egypt and Europe, the total quantity exported during the year ended 31st March, 1922, being 1,300,000 cases valued at £E. 325,374. A Woods and Forests Ordinance has been promulgated and also various Forestry Regulations, supplementary to the Ordinance, for the protection, management and control of existing forests. The country had been terribly deforested during the Ottoman régime. Nine nurseries have been established for the raising of forest trees and fruit stock. Planting, commenced in 1920 at each centre where nurseries exist, is being considerably extended. Special attention is being given to the reclamation of sand dunes and the planting of roadsides. Shipping and Communications. The chief ports of Palestine are Jaffa and Haifa. There is a small haven at Acre, and coasting vessels touch at Gaza and Caesarea. In the year ending March 31st, 1922, 905 steamers of 1,365,126 tons including 100 men-ofwar of 273,987 tons), and 2,742 sailing vessels of 45,062 tons arrived at Palestinian Ports; and for the half-year ending September 30th, 1922, 387 steamers of 647,582 tons, and 1,614 sailing vessels of 28,639 tons. Seventeen Shipping Lines call, of which the following run regular services: Khedivial, Lloyd Triestino, Servizzi Maritimi, and Affréteurs Réunis, weekly; Messageries Maritimes, Fabre Line, Dutch Oriental, Dutch Levant, and Maritimi Italiani, twice monthly; and the Prince Line, monthly. Calls are made at irregular intervals by the Compagnie Russe de Navigation, Moss & Ellerman Line, Greek Line, Palestine Shipping Company, Royal Line, Dutch Lines & Co., Kerr Line. The total length of the Palestine Railways, which are State-owned, is approximately 1,000 kilometres, including branch lines and sidings, subdivided in the following sections : Jenin Military Siding The Kantara-Rafa Section known as the "Sinai Military Railway (approximately 200 kilos) is operated by the Palestine Railways on behalf of the Air Ministry. There is through communication with Egypt, and trains connect at Kantara West daily with Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and other parts of Egypt, railway vehicles being sent acros the canal by means of a truck transporter. East of Haifa the Palestine Railways system terminates at El Hamme, and the Section El Hamme-Deraa (Junction of the Hejaz Railway to Medina) is operated by the Hejaz Railway, which in turn is controlled by the French Government. There are 500 kilometres of metalled roads in Palestine extensively used by motor transport, and in addition, many hundreds of kilometres of tracks passable for wheeled traffic of all kinds during dry weather. Banking and Currency. The most important Bank in Palestine is the Anglo-Egyptian, with branches at Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa and Gaza. The Anglo-Palestine Company has its head office in Jaffa, with branches in Jerusalem, Haifa, Tiberias, Safad and Hebron. In addition, there are branches in Jerusalem of the Crédit Lyonnais, the Imperial Ottoman Bank (of the latter also in Haifa, Jaffa and Nablus), and the Banco di Roma. There is as yet no Palestinian currency. Egyptian Bank and Currency Notes, gold, silver and nickel coins, and British gold sovereigns at the rate of 97 piastres Egyptian, are legal tender. Other foreign coins, previously legal tender, were demonetised on 22nd January, 1921, by a Public Notice. Trade with Transjordan is carried on in gold and Turkish silver mejidis. The metric system is followed by the Government, but the local weights and measures are still commonly employed. For further information on all the above subjects, see the Handbook of Palestine,' published in 1922 by Macmillan & Co., and issued under the authority of the Government of Palestine. Period. 9 months ended 31st March, 1921. 1921-22 Finances. Executive Council. The High Commissioner, The Rt. Hon. Sir Attorney General, Norman de Mattos Bentwich, Treasurer, Steuart Spencer Davis, C.M.G. CIVIL ESTABLISHMENT. High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief, The Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert Louis Samuel, P.C., G.B.E., £E. 3,000 and £E. 1,000 entertainment allowance. A.D.C. and Private Secretary, R. F. P. Monckton, £E. 550. Hon. A.D.C., Fakhry Eff. Nashashibi. ¡SECRETARIAT. Chief Secretary, £E. 1,650: Sir Gilbert F. Clayton, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G. First Assistant Secretary, £E. 1,000 to £E. 1,200: E. Keith-Roach. Second Assistant Secretary, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: E. T. Richmond. Junior Assistant Secretaries, £E.550 to £E.750(1), £E. 400 to £E. 500 (1): M. Nurock, G. F. Sulman, M.C.-£E. 550 to £E. 750: A. S. Kirkbride (temporary). Superintendent, £E. 450 to £E. 550: C. L. Horton, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. District Governors, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400: R. Assistant District Governors, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: JUDICIAL. Members, £E. 550 to £E. 750: Ali Jarallah, M.B.E., Mustapha Khaldi, Gad Frumkin and Francis Khayat. Judicial Inspector, £E. 400 to £E. 500: Dr. Selim Shehadeh. Moslem Religious Court of Appeal. President, Sh. Khalil Eff. el-Khaldi. And a number of Qadis Sheri. Legal. Attorney General, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400: N. de M. Bentwich O.B.E., M.C. Assistant to Attorney General, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: R. H. Drayton. Director of Legal Studies, £E.1,000 (consolidated); Registrar, £E. 550 to £E. 750: J. L. Racionzer. Auditor, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: H. S. Brain. Assistunt Auditor, £E. 550 to £E. 750: J. Homa DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. Director, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: H. J. Solomon, O.B.E., M.C. Assistant Director, £E. 550 to £E. 750: L. W. Charley, O.B.E. Principal Stores Officer, £E. 550 to £E. 750: I. R. de W. Lash, O.B.E. Assistant Inspector, £E. 400 to £E. 500: A. Epstein. Geological Advisor, £E. 1,000 (consolidated): G. S. Blake. SUB-DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR. Controller, £E. 550 to £E. 750: A. M. Hyamson CUSTOMS AND EXCISE. Director, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: J. B. Barron, O.B.E., M.C. Assistant Director, £E. 550 to £E. 750: N. S. Butagy. Supervisor, £E. 550 to £E. 750: V. H. Rook. Superintendents, £E. 400 to £E. 500; S. D. Haddad and S. Ayoub. Assistant Superintendents, £E. 300 to £E. 400; G. Khayat, G. Atallah, N. Habash, A. Shems and F. Mansour. Assistant Harbour Masters, R. G. Hughes and W. Gibb. EDUCATION. Director, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400: H. E. Bowman, C.B.E. G. Education Officers, £E. 550 to £E. 750: Antonius, J. Farrell, M.C., and one vacancy. Headquarters Inspectors, £E. 400 to £E. 500: H. Ruhi, C.I.E., M.B.E., H. Khuri, and S. Ginsberg. District Inspectors, £E. 300 to £E. 400: Ahmed Khalidi, J. Zananiri, Is'af Nashashibi, Ibrahim Shammas and Sharif Subh. Principal, Men's Elementary Training College, £E. 550 to £E. 750: K. A. Totah. Vice-Principal, £E. 300 to £E. 400: J. Katul. Principal, Women's Elementary Training College, £E. 550 to £E. 750: Miss H. Ridler. Assistant Mistress, £E. 300 to £E. 400: Miss E. Shahin. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. Director, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400: G. W. Heron, D.S.O., O.B.E. Deputy Director, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: R. Briereliffe, O.B.E. Assistant Director, Laboratory Section, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: G. Stuart. Deputy Assistant Director, £E. 550 to £E. 750: J. W. P. Harkness. Deputy Inspector General, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100 : A. S. Mavrogordato. Assistant Inspector General (Police and Prisons), £E. 550 to £E. 750: A. J. Kingsley Heath. Assistant Inspector General (C.Ï.D.), £E. 550 to £E. 750: F. A. Partridge. Commandant Training School, £E.550 to £E.750: W. F. Wainwright. District Commandants of Police, £E. 800 to £E. 1,000: E. P. Quigley, M.C., W. F. Sinclair and A. Sanders, M.C.-£E. 550 to £E. 750 E. Lucie Smith, M.C. and L. Harrington. Assistant District Commandants of Police, £E.400 to £E. 500: Abden Husheimi, Shawky Saad, Selim Hanna, Hassan Abd es-Samad, Negib Gabriel Fares. Bandmaster, £E. 400 to £E. 500: A. H. Silver. Reserve Inspectors, £E. 300 to £E. 400: W. J. H. Beard, S. C. Atkins, F. C. Steel, W. H. Bedser and J. W. Harper. Superintendents of Prisons, £E. 300 to £E. 400 : J. H. Frew and E. G. Bryant. Assistant Superintendents (C.I.D.), £E. 300 to £E. 400: E. T. Cosgrove, G. Kort and B. Saig. Instructional Officer, Training School, £E. 300 to £E. 400: A. Ben David. POSTS, TELEGRAPHS AND TELEPHONES. Postmaster-General, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400: W. Hudson, O.B.E., M.C. Deputy Postmaster-General, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: W. Foster, M.B.E. Assistant Directors (South and North), £E. 550 to £E. 750: A. C. Wollaston and G. D. Kennedy. Chief Engineer, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: A. Evans, O.B.E., M.C. Secretary, £E. 550 to £E. 750: G. H. Webster. Chief Accountant, £E. 550 to £E. 750: L. W. Guthrie. Chief Store Keeper, £E. 550 to £E. 750: W. T. Heavens. Engineers (South and North), £E. 550 to £E. 750: PALESTINE RAILWAYS. Assistant General Manager, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: G. M. Campigli, M.C. Secretary, £E. 550 to £E. 750: G. Ferguson. Chief Engineer, E. 800 to £E. 1,100: M. S. Thompson. Assistant Chief Engineer, £E. 550 to £E. 750: R. F. Scrivener. District Engineers, £E. 550 to £E. 750: A. C. E. Anthony and A. J. Wigley, M.C. Assistant District Engineer, £E. 400 to £E. 500: F. H. Taylor. Chief Mechanical Engineer, £E. 800 to £E. 1, 100: H. A. Cotching. Assistant Mechanical Engineer, CE. 550 to £E. 750: A. L. Jones. Running Superintendent, £E. 550 to £E. 750 : J. District Running Superintendents, £E. 400 to Carriane and Wayon Inspector, £E. 550 to Traffic Manager, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: J. Axler. District Traffic Superintendent, £E. 550 to £E. 750: H. Simpson. Assistant District Traffic Superintendent, £E. 550 to £E. 750: N. Tibshirani. Chief Accountant, £E. 800 to £E. 1,100: R. A. Jamieson. Assistant Chief Accountant, £E. 559 to £E. 750: P. C. J. Baker. Assistant Accountants, £E. 550 to £E. 750: G. Khury Bey.£E. 400 to £E. 500: P. H. Forbes. Chief Cashier, £E. 400 to £E. 500: T. Crawford. Superintendent of Stores, £E. 800 to £E. 1,000: J. A. Hawkes. Assistant Superintendent of Stores, £E. 500: K. H. Vernon. Telegraphs and Signals Engineer, £E. 750: J. L. Price. Inspector Ghafir Force, £E. 400 to £500: A. Mackie. Kesselman. Chief Store Keeper, £E. 550 to £E. 750: F. J. Architect, £E. 550 to £E. 750: A. St. B. Harrison. Assistant Superintendent of Mechanical Trans- SURVEYS. Director: C. H. Ley, O.B.E. (special salary). And a number of Surveyors, etc. Treasurer, £E. 1,100 to £E. 1,400 S. S. Davis, Senior Assistani Treasurers, £E. 550 to £E. 750: Junior Assistant Treasurers and Inspectors of NOTE. In addition to the salaries stated above, officers who are neither Palestinians nor natives of Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and other neighbouring territories receive an Expatriation Allowance at the following annual rates:-Officers drawing £E. 800 to £E. 1,100 and over, £E. 100; Officers drawing £E. 800 to £E. 1,000, £E. 550 to £E. 750 and £E. 400 to £E. 500, £E. 50. SARAWAK. An agreement was entered into with the Rajah of Sarawak, on the north-west coast of Borneo, on the 14th of June, 1888, under which that State has been placed under British protection. Her Majesty's Government undertake not to interfere with the internal administration of the State, but they are to determine any questions that arise as to the succession, to control the foreign relations, and to have the right to establish consular officers in the territory. British subjects are to have most-favoured-nation treatment, and no part of the territory is to be alienated without the consent of H.M.'s Government. The territory of Sarawak comprises an area of about 50,000 square miles (more than equal to Ireland and Wales together), with a population of about 600,000, composed of various races. It is intersected by many rivers, navigable for a considerable distance inland, and commands about 500 miles of coast line. The government of the district from Tanjong Datu to the entrance of the Samarahan River was obtained from the Sultan of Brunei in the year 1842 by Sir James Brooke, who became well known as Rajah Brooke, of Sarawak. In 1861 a second cession was obtained from the Sultan of Brunei of all the rivers and lands from the Samarahan River to Kadurong Point. In 1882 a third cession was obtained of 100 miles of coast line and all the country and rivers that lie between Kadurong Point and the Baram River, including about three miles of coast on the north-east side of the latter; and in 1884 another cession was obtained of the Trusan River, situated on the north of the mouth of the Brunei River. The Limbang River was also obtained in 1890, the transfer being approved and confirmed The Lawas by H.M.'s Government in 1891. River was added in 1904. The present Rajah, H.H. Charles Vyner Brooke (born 26th September 1874, married, 1911, Hon. Sylvia Brett), succeeded his father, H.H. Sir Charles Johnson Brooke, G.C.M.G., in 1917. Heir presumptive, Bertram Brooke (H.H. the Tuan Muda), born 8th August, 1876. Products. Gold exported: 1912, $1,070, 200; 1913, $1,077,400; 1914, 1.078,600; 1915, $1,256,500; 1916, $1,209,050; 1917, $675,600; 1918, $923,100; 1919, $808,100; 1920, $612,200; 1921, $559,190. Oil is worked by the Sarawak Oilfields, Ltd., at Miri. Coal is mined by the State on a considerable scale at Sadong and Brooketon, the output in 1912, 39,588 tons; in 1913, 44,430 tons; in 1914, 47,049 tons; in 1915, 48,000 tons; in 1916, 42,387 tons; in 1917, 46,708 tons; in 1918, 46,236 tons; in 1919, 42,972 tons; in 1920, 38,780 tons; and in 1921, 39,900 tons. There is a considerable export of timber to Hong Kong. There is a successful plantation of tea on Matang, and pepper and rubber grow well throughout the Territory. The cultivation of sago is one of the most important industries. All these articles figure in the list of exports, which also includes diamonds, quicksilver, gutta-percha, indiarubber, canes, rattans, camphor, bees wax, birds' nests, tapioca, gambier, and silver. Ticon value of the principal exports was: tion 2 |