British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 987

CHAPTER XXVI.

(g) to sponsor applications for the release from military stocks of stores required for essential civilian purposes on an emergency basis.

CONTROL OF COAL AND CORE.

4. The Secretariat of the Board also exercises the powers vested in the Chairman, War Supply Board as competent authority for the importation and internal distribution of coal and coke.

MOVEMENTS.

5. The Movements Section attached to the Secretariat of the Board is responsible for the grant of travelling facilities to Government officers and members of the public proceeding abroad, including the allocation of sea and air passages, and also for the on carriage of Palestine consignments from Egyptian ports of discharge. Two Transport Liaison Officers stationed at Cairo and Port Tewfiq , respectively, form part of this organization.

Cost ACCOUNTING SECTION.

6. A separate division of the War Supply Board is the Cost Accounting Section, at the head of which is the Cost Accountant. '!'he duties of this section are -

(i) to investigate the cost of contracts placed by the military authorities, including the R.A.F. and NAAFI, and Government Departments for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not excessive profits have been earned;

(ii) to act in an advisory capacity to the various civilian controller sand to Government departments with regard to the fixing of maximum prices for civilian needs;

(iii) to effect payments and render accounts in connection with orders placed on behalf of the Eastern Group Supply Council in Palestine and to consolidate and audit lease/lend accounts.

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

7. Until June, 1945, a Scientific Advisory Committee which had been constituted to investigate problems of applied science in connection with the war effort was attached to the War Supply Board. This Committee has recently been reconstituted as a Palestine Board for Scientific and Industrial Research composed of representatives of Government, scientific institutions and industry which, -though financially controlled by the War Supply Board, functions independently of the Board.

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