British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 113

CHAPTER IV.
(vide chapter V). Administrative officers carry out certain prescribed magisterial functions. The district commissioners, the assistant district commissioners and district officers are the only coroners.

13. Turning now to the departmental organisation of Government, it will be convenient to arrange the departments alphabetically.

14. The Accountant-Genera! is the Government's chief accounting officer and is charged with the oversight of revenue and expenditure, but does not advise on financial policy. In other words, subject to the provisions of Colonial Regulations and local financial regulations issued with the Secretary of State's approval, the financial and accounting operations of Government are under his general management. He is also Currency Officer, in which capacity he represents the Currency Board in London appointed in 1926 by the Secretary of State and supervises the activities of the local currency agents appointed by The Board. The functions of the Currency Board, which comprises representatives of the Colonial Office, Crown Agents for the Colonies and Bank of England, is to provide for and to control the supply of currency to Palestine to ensure that it is maintained in satisfactory condition and generally to watch over the interests of Palestine as far as currency is concerned. The Board authorizes the issue of currency in Palestine against prepayment in London. The Accountant General is the examiner of banks and in this capacity supervises the administration of the Banking Ordinance. He and the Administrator General (see below) are the Commissioners for Stamp Duty.

15. The administrator-General carries out the duties in relation to the administration of certain estates imposed on him by the Administrator-General Ordinance, 1944 *. In addition be is the Registrar of Companies (Companies Ordinance, 1929)**; the Registrar of Partnerships (Partnership Ordinance, 1930)***; the Registrar of Patents, Designs and Trade-marks ; and the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy (Bankruptcy Ordinance, 1936) .

16. The Director of Agriculture and Fisheries is the principal adviser to Government on all matters relating to agricultural development, including animal husbandry and plant and animal diseases, and the safeguarding and exploitation of fisheries. The
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* Vol. I of 1944 legislation, page 151.
** Drayton, Vol. I, page 161.
*** Drayton, Vol. II, page 1041.

Patents and Designs Ordinance, 1925---Drayton, Vol. II, page 1076; Trade Marke Ordinance, 1938-Vol. I of 1938 legislation, page 126.
Vol. I of 1936 legislation, page 21.

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