§ Sir F. SANDERSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seing that the whole Arab electorate, without a single individual exception, refrained from voting in the elections for the legislative council just concluded in Palestine, and in view of this protest against the new constitutions by a majority of nearly 93 per cent. of the population of Palestine, the granting of a national Government in Palestine will be considered elected by the citizens, Moslem, Christian, and Jew, with power of control over their internal matters?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORE:The Palestine elections are not yet over. The first stage has resulted in 126 Moslems, 27 Christians, 90 Jews and 8 Druzes being elected as secondary electors. Under the Orders in Council, the next stage is the formation of electoral colleges of secondary electors for the purpose of electing members of the Legislative Council. On the 1st March the Secretary of State approved of the 1811W prolongation by two or three months of the period within which the final elections are to be held, and until the result is known it would be premature for me to make any further statement.