British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 115

CHAPTER IV.

20. Civil Aviation. The Director administers the civil air-ports at Lydda and Haifa and the marine air-port at Kallia (Dead Sea). He is generally responsible for ground organization and the operation of meteorological and wireless services and for ensuring that the provisions of international conventions regarding aviation to which His Majesty's Government has acceded on Palestine's behalf are observed. The meteorological service under his administration comprises 30 meteorological and 4.00 rainfall stations.

21. The Registrar of Co-operative Societies is responsible for the administration of the Co-operative Societies Ordinance, 1933 *. His main functions are: the technical organization of co-operative societies among Arab cultivators and their education in the principles and meaning of co-operation; the guidance of Arab societies up to The point where members would be competent to continue; the supervision of the activities of Arab societies, including the audit of their accounts; and the supervision of the activities of Jewish societies (the movement being strong in the community) and the provision of assistance to Jewish co-operators in remedying the defects in existing societies and expanding the movement on suitable lines.

22. The Director of Customs , Excise and Trade administers the Customs Ordinance, 1929 **, and related legislation. The tariff is prescribed by the Customs Tariff and Exemption Ordinance, 1937 ***, but may be modified by the High Commissioner in Council with the approval of the Secretary of State in appropriate cases. The Department is also in charge of the excise; duties are levied, under the appropriate Ordinances, on tobacco, liquors, salt, matches and cement of local production or manufacture. Boarding stations, places of entry, ports and their limits and air stations are appointed by the High Commissioner by order. Receipts from customs and excise constitute a large proportion of the country's revenue (approximately 35% in 1944/45) so that the Department of Customs, Excise and Trade is the major revenue department of Government.

23. The Director of Education., by virtue of the Education Ordinance, 1033 exercises general supervision over the education system of the country. The Arab public school system which makes provision for elementary, secondary and higher education is directly administered by the Department. The Jewish public school system
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* Drayton, Vol. I, page 360.
** Drayton, Vol. I, page 524
*** Vol. I of 1937 legislation, page 215. The Ordinance, with revised schedules, was reprinted in June, 1944, and is available in a separate handbook.
Drayton, Vol. I, page 623.

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