CONTROL IN PALESTINE

Evening Star, Issue 22458, 1 October 1936, Page 11

CONTROL IN PALESTINE

SECURING THE PUBLIC SAFETY AUTHORITIES' UNCHALLENGED POWERS (British Official Wireless.) Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, September 29. An Order in Council relating to martial law in Palestine was published in the ‘ London Gazette ’ to-night. The order enables the High Commissioner to delegate power to Majorgeneral Dill, general officer commanding the forces in Palestine, to make regulations securing the public safety and the defence of Palestine. The general officer - commanding will be able to make regulations on such subjects as censorship, arrest, detention, exclusion, and deportation, control of harbours, ports, and aerodromes, transportation by land, air, or water, trading, appropriation, control, forfeiture, and disposition .of property, infliction of communal fines and forfeiture and destruction of property as punitive measures. These regulations will not bo open to challenge in any court of law. Moreover, the power conferred will include the setting up of military courts for the trial of offences against these regulations, from the decisions of which there shall, if the general officer commanding thinks fit, be no appeal. The proclamation of martial law would not in itself have conferred greater powers over the civil population than are already possessed, whereas the present order puts the outhorities in possession of clearly defined and unchallenged powers.