PEACE IN PALESTINE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4874, 7 September 1925, Page 4

PEACE IN PALESTINE.

A GREAT TRANSFORMATION. RESULT OF BRITISH RULE. In the many alterations whicn were made to the map of the world at the conclusion of the Great War 'not only were frontiers altered, but whole peoples passed under different rule. No country probably was so much affected for the better as Palestine, over which Great Britain was given mandatory rule. Some interestingparticulars of the improvements which have been effected in Palestine since the British assumed control of tlie country six years ago were given to a “.Dominion reporter on Thursday by Mrs Tute, wife of Judge R. C. Tute, of Jerusalem. Mrs Tute, who arrived by the s.s, Maheno from Sydney, stated that Judge Tute had formerly "been attached to the judiciary in India, and had been transferred to Palestine when Great Britain was entrusted with a mandate to govern that country. The transformations which had been effected in the country during the six yeyars she had been in Jerusalem, declared Mrs Tute, had been really wonderful. The British residents had experienced rather nerveracking times during the early stages of occupation, but the justice of British rule had gradually won the respect of Arab and Jew alike, and the old bitter animosity between these races had died away,- until to-day they were on the best ,of terms, with each oilier. They had had somewhat exciting experiences during, the visit of Lord Balfour to Jerusalem, but the bulk c.f the Arab population had behaved rather well on that occasion, and had contented themselves by shutting up their shops and maintaining a passive boycott rather than violent demonstrations.

The British, said Mrs Tute-, had

transformed Palestine. Attention had first been directed to ridding the country of the malaria scourge, which had made the region almost uninhabitable .since the days of the Crusaders. This liiid been successfully accomplished by modern sanitary systems and. improved water supplies. Channels had been formed to carry off the stagnant water, which formerly served ais bleeding pools-for malaria. The country 'to-day was as health}' as New Zealand. An important result of British rule was the splendid education system which had been introduced. Palestine now had schools all over the country just as had New Zealand. Another reform which had done more than anything to win the good-wlil of the Arabs was the establishment of modern hospitals- fbr the care of the isiek. In winning the respect and confidence of Arab and Jew, the wives and daughters of the British administrators had played their part. It was to-day realised that they were better off under British rule than ever they had been before, and neither would welcome a return of Turkish domination.

Still another important improvement effected since Britain took over control of the country was the network of good reads whicli had been formed. The roads in Palestine today compared favourably with thbse in any progressive country. Mrs Tute is no stranger .to- New Zealand, as while in India Judge Tute and she spent more than one furlough in the Dominion. After tb.ui-

ing the South Island she intends seeing the beauty spots Of the north, including Rotorua, which she has previously visited.