British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 993

CHAPTER XXVI.

(a) Immovable properties : There are now vested in the Custodian 64 7 house properties of which 448 are wholly enemy and 199 partly enemy. The annual rental to be collected for these properties amount to over £P.200,000 per annum and their capital value may be conservatively estimated as over £P.3,000,000.

(b) Agricultural properties: These consist of 332 orange groves of which 256 are wholly enemy and 76 partly enemy. The total area of the wholly enemy property is approximately 5,600 dunums. The capital value of these groves at a conservative estimate is in the neighbourhood of £P.500,000. Cultivation of the wholly enemy groves has necessitated the appointment of managers to each grove and the advancing of sums for their maintenance and cultivation. The advances made for these properties amount at the present date to £P.l 75,000. The receipts from sale of fruit do not suffice to cover this outlay which is a first charge on the properties concerned. There are also 650 other agricultural properties of which 456 are wholly enemy and 194 partly enemy. The total area of the wholly enemy property is about 16,500 dunums. No reliable assessment of their capital value can be given.

(c) Unoccupied land, building plots, etc. Of these there are 408 of which 294 are wholly enemy and 114 partly enemy. In this case also a reliable estimate of the capital value cannot be given.

(d) Bank balances; etc. The Custodian holds in cash at the present day over £P.2,060,000. These funds derive from bank balances transferred to the Custodian and debts due to enemies collected from local residents. There are a number of accounts blocked in various banks aggregating £P. 743,061.

(e) Securities, The nominal value of securities held is approximately £P.680,000 and value of securities blocked in various banks is approximately £P.30,000. The Custodian also holds gold coins to the value of £P.37 ,962.

(f) Debts due by residents of Palestine to enemies. Enemy assets as yet not collected amount to £P.290,727.

21. Other activities of the department of the Custodian of Enemy Property are :-

(i) Registration of enemy debts, i.e. claims by residents of Palestine on enemy countries or on residents therein. The total number of claims registered under this heading up to date is 3,867, the declared value of which is £P.15,500,000.

(ii) Registration of properties in enemy countries, that is to say properties in enemy territory claimed by residents of Pales-

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