British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 1001

CHAPTER XXVI.

MEAT.

vious regulations, especially in regard to the shape of loaves and the baking of bread from Trans-Jordan wheat flour.

38. Early in 1942 the Defence (Control of Meat) Order, 1942* was enacted, making the slaughter of cattle, sheep, goats, swine and camels illegal during three days of the week. This restriction applied also to the sale of meat and the serving of meat dishes in restaurants. At the same time maximum wholesale and retail prices were fixed for all kinds of meat and subsequently for sausages and meat products.

39. By 1943 the military authorities had monopolised all imports of cattle and sheep from Turkey and Iraq, and the restricted allocations for civilian consumption from these imports made it necessary to take further measures for the preservation of meat supplies from local sources; the Food Control (Control of Livestock) Order ** restricting the sale of all cattle, sheep, goats, swine and camel was therefore enacted in September, 1943, whereby Government became the sole purchaser of slaughter stock. Distribution to municipal slaughter houses was made from Government reserves in accordance with fixed quotas based on population.

40. In May, 1945 considerable relaxation of control, such as the abolition of meatless days and restrictions on the sale and slaughter of sheep, goats, swine and camels, were made possible. Cattle, however, are still imported and slaughtered under Government control, and beef, mutton, camel meat and pork remain subject to maximum prices; in addition beef continues on a rationed basis of 180 grammes per week.

SUGAR.

41. Control of this commodity was introduced in 1941 with the enactment of the Sales Restriction (Sugar) Order and the Sugar (Control) Order***. which provided for a strict system of rationing and imposed conditions on the acquisition and disposal of this commodity. The annual imports of 20,000 tons on Government account was fixed in 1943 and has remained unchanged. Because of increases of population the quantity used in direct consumption is increasing annually; the rations per head of population have remained more or less constant and it has therefore been necessary to reduce supplies available for industry. Rationing is carried out on the following scale :-
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* Laws of 1942, Vol. II, page 683.
** Laws of 19•13, Vol. III, page 871 (revoked in 1945) .
*** Laws of 1941, Vol. II, pages 628 and 993.
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