British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 771

CHAPTER XVII.

reasonable limits, the provision of war gratuities and other benefits. It is not intended to assist in financing projects requiring an initial outlay out of proportion to the maximum amount of grants. .

86. The maximum amount of grant in any case is £P.150. A person who receives assistance under the scheme will be required to refund his resettlement grant in whole or in part if be disposes of bis business within two years of the date upon which he received the grant, unless the disposal was with the consent of this administration. The scheme may be extended, in special circumstances, to assist an applicant by means of a Joan to purchase a share as a working member of a cooperative society.

LICENSES AND PERMITS.

87. It is Government's policy that applications made to Controllers by ex-servicemen for licences and permits should be dealt with as sympathetically and favourably as possible. To give effect to this and to ensure that the applicants receive the best advice available, all such cases are submitted to the Controllers through the Department of Labour, the latter authority carrying out any necessary investigations and, finally, making appropriate recommendations.

8CRPLUS MILITARY STORES.

88. A procedure has been adopted so as to ensure that ex-servicemen will receive a suitable degree of priority of opportunity to acquire surplus military stores. Consideration will be given to the direct sale of such surplus materials for utilization in any approved scheme for ex-servicemen on application through the Chairman, Resettlement Advisory Committee. The arrangements apply to surplus stores from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.

RESETTLEMENT HOSTELS.

89. The acute housing shortage presents the returning ex-servicemen with a particularly difficult problem. Many Jewish members of the Forces have almost no knowledge of or earlier connection with Palestine. They arrived as refugees from Europe and very soon afterwards joined the Forces. As a temporary measure Government has opened resettlement hostels in the larger towns. The hostels are intended primarily for ex-servicemen and women who cannot afford to live in hotels or pensions and who have no families with whom they might Jive. It is hoped to provide accommodation for some 1,000 persons at 100 mils per night.

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