MESOPOTAMIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3549, 10 August 1920, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

FRA MING A CONSTITUTION

BAT‘I‘L»FZ NORTH OF BAGDAD.

DELHI, Aug. 8.

The first step towards setting up national institutibns in Mesopotamia in compliance with Great Bi-il‘ain"’s mandate obligations, was taken in Bagdad on Friday, when nineteen former deputies‘Were ‘summoned from Various parts of the country by the present British 2_ldminiStr:ltion. Their functions will be to frame proposals

for a provisional electoral law, under which members will be elected to the

General Assembly which will frame organised lawlfor the country. This Assembly "will also provide the source to which the AdminiS’rl'.‘l.fion may turn for advice connected with the welfm-e ‘and future of the country. A column returning from Diwani—yah. north ‘of Bagdad, under General Coninghmn reached Jurbuiyah. The Arabs made elaboralte :zlm-angenmnfs 1.0 prevent; the column reaching JarbUi)'zl.h, but the attack was beaten off by the Deccan infantry. The Arabsleft sevehfity (lead_ The Gnrkhag had hand-to—hand fighting in the pa.lm groves and villages. A final concentration of two ihousantl frlbesmexl. With banners flying, was successfully dispersed by gunfire. The total Arab casualties were very heavy, vs‘.-zile ours were about twenty.