Questions “slow Progress” of Rutenberg Scheme

The government is not aware of the “slow progress” of the Rutenberg concession for the electrification of Palestine and does not contemplate withdrawing the concession, Mr. Ormsby Gore of the Golonial office declared in the House of Commons, in reply to a question by Mr. Becker. The latter has asked the same question on June 18 and received substantially the same reply.

Sir Robert Hamilton asked of whom the Arab Congress now meeting in Jaffa consists, by whom it was summoned, and who is presiding over it. Mr. Gore replied the Government has received no official information, adding that the House was of course aware that the Arab Congress is not in any sense an official body He added that he “understood” that Mussa Kazim Pasha was the presiding officer.

Colonel Wedgewood asked the Premier to state if and how far does the treaty now being negotiated with King Hussein affect Palestine, and whether it involves any modification of Britains’ obligations under the Palestine Mandate, and whether recognition by King Hussein of Great Britain’s special position in Mesopotamia, Transjordania and Palestine includes his recognition of the government’s international obligations regarding the Jewish National Homeland.

In a written statement Mr. MacNeil replied for the Premier that the negotiations with King Hussein were still in progress and he was unable to say what the precise form of the treaty, if concluded, may ultimately take. He was assured, he said, that it will not, however, involve any modification of the obligations into which the Government had entered under the Palestine Mandate.