§ 18. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has ruled that the admission of women to the Palestine bar must be postponed; if so, why he gave this ruling; and whether any person or body resident in Palestine has raised any objection to women practising as lawyers, as doctors, as teachers, as inspectors, to women having a vote, or appearing in public unveiled?
§ Mr. AMERYYes, Sir. The matter was before me in 1926, when I decided, on the recommendation of the High Commissioner, that it was not desirable, in 10 view of the conditions prevailing in Palestine, to proceed for the present with the question of the admission of women to legal practice in that country. I have not the material for dealing with all the various points raised in the last part of the question. When the question of the admission of women to legal practice came before the Palestine Advisory Council in 1920, it was strongly opposed by two Mohammedan members.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will do all in his power to break down this oriental attitude towards women?
§ Mr. AMERYWe have examples in Afghanistan and other places of the un-desirability of moving too hurriedly in this matter.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhen the right hon. Gentleman looks at Afghanistan, will he also look at the reforms which are going on in Turkey?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIs there any evidence of any real opposition to this reform?
§ Mr. AMERYI understand there is; and, on a question of this sort, I am bound to act on the advice of the High Commissioner.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAs that advice was given in 1920, will the right hon. Gentleman find out whether the High Commissioner still thinks that there would be a revolution if women were given this right?