File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎122r] (252/834)

— 91
PALESTINE LETTER.
18th March, 1918.
The occupied territory undoubtedly is settling down. The
peasants of the Ramleh area have succeeded (much to their credit
considering the shortage of draught animals) in sowing eighty
per cent of their lands, and the crops of all kinds promise very
well, the “latter rains” having come up to time and abundantly.
We hear of something like normal conditions re-established in
the south also, the weekly market at Beersheba being well attended,
both by tribesmen and by villagers from the Khan Yunus area,
and showing a very fair head of live stock for sale. Agricultural
conditions are not so good in the Jerusalem district, where the
enemy was given more time to carry off draught cattle ; but a
good deal has been done to help the peasantry there, especially
by provision of seed, and the recent abundant rains have fa\ ouied
late sowings. Unfortunately there has been much damage done
to plantations and vineyards, partly by the enemy’s action, partly
by destruction of stone walls, which admits of goats getting at
the trees. It is asked that barbed wire should be provided by us
to replace these walls, the removal of which has mainly been due
to our own road-makers. As regards public security there is not
much to complain of in the occupied area. _
As for towns, the food problem still gives trouble in
Jerusalem, there being a great many destitute P” ot ^
denominations. Our official distribution of food
payment—a wise condition in the case of a parasitic and hoar g
population which must be induced to use its own resources-
LYit is understood that provision for destitute persons ,s to be
undertaken by the different religious co ™Tonoh tte
however, plead shortness of cash, an , cun y " ,' ^
Tewish community not the least loudly, m spite . '
assurances "Sven 1 of unlimited funds subscribed by the Jewish
world Unfoubtedly much cash is being hoarded by individuals
ffi the hope of profit on exchanges.. This ^"er is fad n|
with the approach of the Egyptian pound note £ "y .
par (though in Jaffa the n,ne™tre ra.^stdl holds, and ^
reported impossible yet to break t nUpp,. local rates are
tacitly agree t0 “chaiige abme thak ^ p T in my
is&! ra».
factory An East India Company trading post. ., and the aggressive ° that this difficulty
conducing to improve ^ ^"^ouncil appointed.] The
has been got over and a mix exneriencing a good many
town has been unfortunate m expenenc g^ , u ^ well
administrative changes since we P ( j j t | 1Jls a good
if, in the future, more continuity c ^^ la 3 t f" re ^ hich haV e token
many undesirable elements in its population, wmcn