Public Works Department of Palestine Government Issues Report for Year

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The Public Works Department of the Palestine Government has just issued a report on its activities for the last Budget year April 1, 1925 to March 31, 1926.

The total expenditure of the Department for the year was £E223,015,927 as against £E189,075,345 in the previous budget year. Of that sum £E22,990,172 represented personal emoluments. Other large expenditures were: rent of offices and quarters £E42,090,348, maintenance of roads and bridges £E12,362,812, maintenance of buildings £E7,949,510, Jaffa harbor improvement £E4,257,887, reconstruction of the Jaffa Ramleh Road £E13,493,656, Rosh Pina Metulla tract £E3,798,921, railway charges Jaffa-Ramleh Road £E6,463,530, Rosh Pina–Ain Mallah Road £E2,999,848, resurfacing Jaffa Port App## Road £E2,046,929.

The roads of Palestine have been re-classified in four groups: the first class are main roads of superior construction on which a good surface for all traffic is maintained throughout the year. Second class roads are main roads of lesser importance and open to all traffic throughout the year. Third class roads are main routes of communication but open to traffic in dry weather only. The fourth class are village roads not maintained by the Government but towards the construction and upkeep of which Government assistance is granted.

The length of roads in each group is as follows: first class, 457 kilometers; second class: 178 kilometers; third class, 687 kilometers; fourth class, 660 kilometers; a grand total of 1,982 kilometers of which 635 are metalled main roads. During the year 75 kilometers of main roads were completely resurfaced. The main roads have generally been maintained in a fairly good state of repair.