Work on New Farm Colony Begun in Palestine; J.N.F. Income Rises

Two hundred persons today attended the laying of a foundation stone for the first of 50 houses at Helzibah near Hedera, launching a new settlement for agricultural laborers on a tract given by the Palestine Land Development Co. The first 50 houses will be completed within four or five months and another 50 families will be registered for the next series of buildings.

Meanwhile, the Jewish National Fund announced that its income in December, 1939, represented an increase of L50,000 over the same period a year ago. During the last quarter of 1939, L280,000 was expended for land purchases, amelioration, afforestation and participation in the costs of settlement.

In Tel Aviv it was disclosed that in connection with the general restriction of Mediterranean shipping, the number of ships calling at the Tel Aviv port decreased considerably during the last four months. In 1939, 845 ships with an aggregate tonnage of 1,728,160 called at the port, compared with 818 ships with a tonnage of 1,480,502 in 1938. A total of 158,507 tons were unloaded and 48,202 loaded, including 1,251,951 cases of oranges. Passengers arriving totalled 13,950 and passengers leaving 4,653.

At a meeting of the Tel Aviv Municipal Council, Mayor Israel Rokach introduced a budget for 1940-41 involving income of L527,947 and expenditures of L525,922. The only change from last year’s budget was an additional three per cent tax on property.

The budget provides L136,414 for health and sanitation, L125,290 for education, L37,426 for social work, L15,300 for public works, L4,100 for police, L3,632 for cultural purposes and L36,238 for administrative costs.

Mayor Rokach pointed out that since April, 1937, a total of L190,000 in debts had been repaid and the remaining debts on April 1, 1940, would be L200,000 Urging the Government to contribute toward education and health maintenance, he warned that the city was unable to continue these services indefinitely without assistance.