§ 32 and 33. Mr. T. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (I) whether he will explain why the communal settlements in the Petah Tiqua area are excluded from the Petah Tiqua Muni- 354 cipal Council; and will he state whether the workers on the settlements were consulted before the sub-division was made;
(2) whether his attention has been drawn to the Second Schedule to the Order under the Local Councils (Petah Tiqua Rural Area) 1937, recently promulgated in Palestine; whether his approval was given for the conditions attached to voting power, and, if so, will he state why ownership of land was made a qualification; why the owner of 10 dunarus is allowed one vote while a co-operative society of settlers can only have one vote for 100 dunarus; and why a tenant farmer cannot vote at all unless he secures the consent of the landowner?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI will ask the High Commissioner for a report on the matters referred to and will communicate with I he hon. Member on receipt of the High Commissioner's reply.
§ Mr. WilliamsMay I ask whether in communicating with the High Commissioner, if it is found that, as stated in the question, the workers are definitely being placed at a terrible disadvantage electorally, the right hon. Gentleman will look into it?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI will certainly look into that matter.