British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 1026

CHAPTER XXVI.

(i) The tyre section.

118. The importation, possession, disposal and acquisition of tyres are subject to the provisions of the Defence (Control of Tyres and Tubes) Order, 1944*. Until recently, tyres were imported only through official channels and distributed through licensed dealers on the basis of their pre-war trade. There has now, however, been a return to importation through the normal commercial channels and the Department has been relieved of all responsibility in regard to imports.

119. During the war releases were made only in respect of vehicles engaged on essential transportation. With the recent improvement of the supply position, releases are now made on a wider basis and, although it is unlikely that future supplies of tyres will be sufficient to meet all demands, no serious shortage should be experienced, nor should the economy of the country be appreciably affected. In the meantime, rationing is being continued on the basis indicated in section 4 of chapter XX.

(ii) Records and control section.

120. The disposal and acquisition of motor vehicles is subject to control under the Defence (Control of Motor Vehicles) Order, 1943... This Order was promulgated with the following purposes:-

(a) to ensure that imported vehicles are only released in such a manner as to guarantee the greatest possible benefit to the country as a whole;

(b) to prevent the speculative buying and selling of vehicles; such speculation forces up the price of second-hand vehicles and leads to increases in passenger fares and freight rates; (c) to prevent the smuggling of vehicles and spare parts to neighbouring countries; experience has shown that the only effective method of curbing smuggling activities is to demand an annual return from all registered owners of vehicles and to provide heavy penalties for failure to submit returns or failure to produce vehicles for inspection; these measures will be maintained as long as prices of second hand vehicles in adjacent countries remain at their present height; and

(d) to prevent the acquisition of commercial vehicles except by established transport operators and by persons who require this type of vehicle in connection with their own business and not for general hire, viz., agriculturalists, industrialists or established transport operators; prior to the war there were some
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* Laws of 1944, Vol. II. page 229
** Laws of 1943, Vol. Il, page 349.

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