British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 121

CHAPTER IV.

Welfare, which is responsible for reformatory schools. The guarding of the clearance camp at Athlit (for immigrants and foreign nationals in transit) has also been in the bands of the Prisons administration. The establishment of the service is :

Officers, British and Palestinian 27

British other ranks 77

Palestinian warders (regular) 470

Palestinian warders (temporary additional) 84

Matrons and wardresses 19

The total committals during 1944, was 30,755, the average daily number in prison being 2,908.

40. The Public Information Office is another branch of the Secretariat. The Public Information Officer has the duty of liaison with the press and public relations generally. He is also required to furnish information to the public in regard to Government activities. Reading rooms, which are in effect sub-offices, are maintained in Tel Aviv and Haifa. A branch of the Public Information Office operates cinema vans for the showing of educational films in rural areas, prisons and other institutions. (It should be explained, for the avoidance of misunderstanding, that official communiqués are issued by the High Commissioner and only the mechanical processes of publication fall to the Public Information Officer).

41. The Public Works Department is the principal engineering department of Government. It deals with the construction of Government buildings, roads and other works and is responsible for the maintenance of all Government buildings and of the principal roads. (The exceptions are only minor roads constructed by or for villages and settlements and roads within the areas of local authorities). The Director of Public Works is the principal adviser to Government on questions of civil engineering. He also advises on electrical development, notably in matters arising out of the Electricity Concessions Ordinance, 19.27 and Electricity Concessions (Jerusalem) Ordinance, 1930*. He administers the Petroleum Rules, 1930, governing installations for the storage and handling of petroleum. The Director of Public Works is Controller of Mines and in t.hat capacity is responsible for the administration of the Mining Ordinance, 1925**; he also, as Controller, administers the Oil Mining Ordinance, 1938 ***. The Geologist is a member of the Public Works Department, which also includes a well-boring unit.
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* Drayton, Vol. I, pages 633 and 658 .
** Drayton, Vol. II, page 938 .
*** Vol. I of 1938 legislation, page 49.

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