PART V. GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES.
§ I. System of Administration.
High Commissioner. — Under the Palestine Order in
Council, His Majesty may, by a Commission under his
Sign Manual and Signet, appoint a fit person to administer
the Government of Palestine under the designation of High
Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief.
Chief Secretary. — The Chief Secretary is the High Com-
missioner's principal adviser on administrative matters, and
is the usual channel of communication between the High
Commissioner and other officials. He normally administers
the Government during the absence from Palestine of the
High Commissioner.
Appointment of OfRcers. — The High Commissioner may, subject to the direction of the Secretary of State, appoint or authorize the appointment of such public officers of the Government of Palestine under such designations as he may think fit, and may prescribe their duties; and all such public officers, unless otherwise provided by law, shall hold their offices during the pleasure of the High Commissioner.
Attorney- General.— The Attorney-General is the legal
adviser of the Government. He drafts all Government
bills and gives the necessary instructions to the Solicitor-
General in all criminal cases tried on information.
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134 THE HANDBOOK OF PALESTINE
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Autonomous Sanjaq of Jerusalem
Treasurer. — The Treasurer is the chief accounting officer
of the Government, whose financial and accounting
operations are under his general management and super-
vision.
Districts. — At the end of the period of Turkish rule
Palestine lay, administratively speaking, partly in the
autonomous ^ Sanjaq (Liwa, Mutesarriflik) of Jerusalem, partly in the Vilayet of Beirut. Its administrative divisions were as follows :
Qazas.
Jerusalem. Jaffa. Hebron. Gaza. I^Beersheba.
Acre.
Sanjaq of Acre (in Vilayet of c^ . .'
T^ . ,. ^ { Safed.
^™*) Nazareth.^
VTiberias.
Sanjaq of Nablus (in Vilayet of t •
B t^ 1 J®^^"-
' [Tulkeram.
Each Qaza was administered by a Qaimaqam, who was
responsible to the Mutesarrif. The Qazas were sub-divided
into Nahiehs, under officials known as Mudirs; and the
smallest unit in this symmetrical administrative organi-
zation was the village, ruled by its Mukhtar (headman) and
his Azas (elders).
From 1920 to 1922 the country was divided into the seven
Districts of Jerusalem, Jaffa, Phoenicia, Galilee, Samaria, Gaza and Beersheba, each of which, with the exception of Beersheba, was farther divided into sub-Districts. On the ist July, 1922, there was effected an amalgamation
' I.e. not a part of any Vilayet, but subject immediately to Constantinople.
^ From 1906 to 1908 the Qaza of Nazareth was included in the Sanjaq of
Jerusalem.
SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION
135
of Districts into four Pro^
divisions are now as follows
Province.
Jerusalem and Jaffa
vinces, and the
administrative
Districts.
Sub-Districts.
'Jerusalem. Ramallah.
f Jerusalem.
Bethlehem.
[jaffa.
Jericho. Jaffa. .Ramleh.
Haifa.
Acre.
J Phoenicia, loalilee.
Zummarin.
Nazareth.
Tiberias.
.Safed.
Nablus.
_
Jenin.
Tulkeram.
Beisan.
Gaza.
rOaza.
\ Beersheba.
Mejdel. Beersheba.
Hebron.
Northern Province
Samaria -
Southern Province -
Governors. — The Governor is for most purposes the head
of all executive departments in his Province. The cele-
bration of marriages of British subjects in Palestine is
conducted under the Foreign Marriages Act, the Governor
being the Marriage Officer within his Province.
Mukhtars. — Under the Governors and District Officers
are the Mukhtars, or headmen of villages. Their powers
and duties have not yet been codified, but included among
them are :
(a) to keep the peace within the village;
(b) to send information to the nearest Police Station of any
serious offence or accident occurring in the village;
(c) to assist Government Officers in the collection of
revenue :
136 THE HANDBOOK OF PALESTINE
I
(d) to publish in the village any Public Notices or Pro-
clamations sent to them by the Governors;