JEWS FOR PALESTINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 7

JEWS FOR PALESTINE

CHECK ON ILLEGAL ENTRY BRITAIN TAKES SERIOUS VIEW. ARRANGEMENTS FOR NAVAL PATROL. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 27. The Colonial Secretary. Mr MacDonald. stated m the House of Commons today that legal Jewish emigration into Palestine was continuing at the rate of approximately 1000 a month. “Britain has every sympathy with Jewish refugees, but during recent months there has been a number of attempts by foreign ships to land illegal traffic. “The coastguard service in Palestine has been strengthened and a system of marine police patrols is being organised. Pending the organisation of a local preventive service, arrangements are being made for a naval patrol. "In addition, the High Commissioner has been authorised to strengthen the provisions of the emigration ordinance relating to the stoppage and forfeiture of suspected vessels and the imposition of penalties on shipowners. Britain takes the most serious view of these attempts to contravene the immigration law of Palestine, and is determined to check illegal immigration. “The numbers of any Jewish illegal immigrants who, despite these measures. may succeed in entering the country and who cannot be deported will be deducted from the future immigration quotas." Meanwhile, it is announced that there is no foundation for rumours which have been repeated in certain newspapers in Egypt and Arabia suggesting the existence of an organised scheme of Jewish settlement in the Aden protectorate. No such scheme is in contemplation.