British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 689

CHAPTER XVI.

137. In order to stimulate local effort Government has borne the full cost of feeding in those districts where local funds have only been sufficient to meet initial capital expenditure. It is, however, the policy of Government to contribute half the cost of approved welfare schemes and as soon as possible to place the responsibility for welfare on the Municipalities. This has been achieved in Jaffa which has a social welfare department with a budget of £P.40,000, half of which is recovered in the form of a grant from Government. The Jaffa department is responsible for feeding 3,000 under-nourished children, the relief of destitution and the provision of clubs for boys and girls not attending school. Nablus, Gaza and Acre are starting municipal welfare departments and other municipalities are being encouraged to do so. In the meantime the Arab welfare officers of the Department of Social Welfare deal directly with problems as they arise and within the limits of financial provision.

138. In addition to the payment of subsidies to local welfare schemes the Department makes occasional grants to private institutions such as orphanages, old aged homes, institutions for the physically and mentally defective, etc.

The following table shows the number and type of institutions assisted during the last financial year :-

Table 8.
Type of Number of Grants
institution institutions £P.
Babies' homes 4 550
Orphanages G J,400
Children’s' homes 6 1,150
Problem children 4 975
Clubs 2 60
Mentally defective 2 340
Physically defective ,5 625
Aged and invalids 4 730
Shelters 1 70
Total 34 5,900
----•
FINANCE.
139. The appropriations for expenditure on social welfare since the inception of the Department are as follows :-

Year Personal Other Special Total
emoluments charges expenditure
--
1944-45 17,068 208,535 - 220,603
1945 46 24,003 262,800 2,735 28D,538
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