British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 990

CHAPTER XXVI.

areas. Commodities other than those comprised in the Short List do not concern the B.S.M. (M.E.), but their procurement is, in some cases (e.g. textiles), subject to separate arrangements between the British and American supply authorities and the War Supply Board.

Section 2.

THE WAR ECONOMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL.

13. In July, 1943, Government appointed a planning committee to devise a general scheme for combating inflation and rising prices. In view of the importance which both official and unofficial quarters attached to the need for close collaboration between Government and the public in respect of matters appertaining to supply and distribution, the committee recommended the establishment of an Advisory Council through which public opinion on these matters could be fully represented to Government and the views of Government explained to the public. They further recommended that this Council should consist of eight non-official members, four Arabs and four Jews, to be nominated by Government, with a Government officer as chairman and the Government Statistician as a member, and that Government should place at the disposal of the Council a full-time secretary and clerical staff. These recommendations were accepted by Government, and in November 1943 the ••war Economic Advisory Council was constituted.

14. The Council's terms of reference are :-

(i) to maintain contact between the Government and the public in all matters relating to the war economy of Palestine, on the one hand advising Government on the means of securing the fullest co-operation of the public in the operation of economic measures necessitated by the war, and, on the other band, endeavouring to promote public understanding of these measures;

(ii) having regard to the necessity of organising the economy of Palestine to meet the conditions imposed by the war, to consider any question in the field of production, supply and distribution of commodities whether referred to the Council by Government or otherwise, and to furnish Government with advice in regard to any such matter;

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