News Brief

The Colonial Office today declined to confirm or deny reports of a loan of several million pounds for the development of Palestine. It is learned reliably, however, that the form of the loan is not yet settled and that the sanction of Parliament will have to be obtained for it. In that case, the Government will have to acquaint Parliament with the exact nature and purposes to which the loan will be applied.

The assumption that the French report has been abandoned by the Government has not been substantiated. On the contrary, it was only recently reported that the British High Commissioner of Palestine had requested the Jewish Agency and the Arab Executive to submit their observations enabling the High Commissioner, on the basis of these observations, to submit a plan to the British Government which will issue a statement on policies for the development of Palestine.

An investigation by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has established that the French report is not likely to be submitted at the forthcoming session of the League of Nations Mandates Commission, which is to be held June 19. It is improbable that the question of a Palestinian loan will be taken up at the meeting of the League body since the customary procedure calls for Parliamentary sanction of the proposal first.

Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, High Commissioner of Palestine, has left to resume his duties in Jerusalem after a short visit in London occasioned by the death of his sister.

Mark Aicheson Young, who is retiring as chief secretary of the Palestine Government to become governor of the Barbados Islands, will represent the Palestine Government at the Mandates Commission meeting. Several representatives of the Colonial Office will also attend the session.