The provision of the projected municipality law, the promulgation of which is to be preliminary to the establishment of a Legislative Council in Palestine, stipulating that mayors henceforth be appointed by the High Commissioner instead of elected by the people, was rejected by the municipality of Tel Aviv at a session of a special committee named to present its observations on the projected measure.
The Committee emphasized that Mayors as well as other municipal officials should be responsible to the Municipal Council exclusively and to none else.
The Committee also opposed the provision that the Municipal Council may be dissolved by the High Commissioner if in his opinion it is not functioning in accordance with the law. The Committee demands that the dissolution of a Municipal Council be made possible only after warning by the High Commissioner and then only after six months have elapsed since the publication of the warning in the Official Gazette.
Opposition was also expressed to a change in the electoral system. Active and passive voting rights should be granted to every man and woman who has reached the age of twenty-one, the Committee emphasizes.
The Palestine High Commissioner, Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, recently announced that the municipality ordinance would be promulgated despite the opposition of many communities who have refused to submit their observations in an effort to prevent its passage.
Sir Arthur stated that the law would be enacted and any modifications necessary could be made thereafter.
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