The Cost of the Palestine Development Scheme: Expenditure Will Be Met out of Palestine Revenue Colon

Colonel Josiah Wedgwood asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the House of Commons to-day if he would state what expenditure had been incurred in connection with Mr. French’s report on Palestine settlement, how the cost would be met, and would further expense be avoided until Parliament had approved the raising of a loan.

Pending approval by His Majesty’s Government of any scheme for development or settlement in Palestine, the Colonial Secretary, Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister replied, the expenditure would, apart from the salaries of the Director of Development and his staff, be confined to such preliminary investigation as may be necessary to enable Mr. French to formulate his proposals. Such expenditure would be met in the first instance from the General Revenue of Palestine.

I will enquire of the High Commissioner, the Colonial Secretary added, the total sum expended in connection with the Development Department since the appointment of the Director in the summer of 1931 and I will communicate with Colonel Wedgwood when I have his reply.

Is the Colonial Secretary aware, Colonel Wedgwood asked, that if a loan is not raised all this money spent on this enquiry will be wasted?

No. I am not prepared to accept that statement, the Colonial Secretary replied.

The dispatch addressed to the late High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir John Chancellor, by the late Colonial Secretary, Lord Passfield, at the time of Mr. French’s appointment in July, setting out his duties as Director of Palestine Development, stated that “it is the intention of His Majesty’s Government to authorise the High Commissioner to incur expenditure not exceeding £50,000 in the foregoing investigation, including all necessary surveys, and experiments, such expenditure being met, in the first instance”, (as the Colonial Secretary stated to-day in reply to Colonel Wedgwood) “from Palestine funds”.