File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎14v] (33/898)

The Mandates Commission, however, maintained a previous decision to the
effect that the railway, as property of the Ottoman Government, fell to be dealt
with under article 5 of the Treaty of Lausanne; that the steps taken by the
mandatory Powers for its control and exploitation were not of a nature to conflict
with the religious aspirations of the Moslem populations; that they, in fact,
tended to create a situation as analogous to pre-war conditions as was now
possible; and that the petition must therefore be non-suited. The commission
added that the interested Moslem populations would do well to associate
themselves with the efforts made by the mandatory Powers to solve the problem
to the best interests of all. The commission’s conclusions were approved by the
Council of the League. No reaction has yet been noted in this country.
8. Roads.
The “ Umm-al-Qura ” is doing its best to educate its public to take an
interest in the development of internal communications. The distances over what
are called motor roads are published from time to time. They are indifferently
given in miles or kilometres, an indication that they are the records of pioneer
journeys measured by the speedometer of the particular car used.
9. Land Registration.
The Ministry of Finance published an order on the 12th September instituting
a system of land registration in the immediate vicinities of the towns of Mecca
and Jedda. This is the first step to be taken in this connexion by the Heiaz-Neid
Government.
The ownership of land in the Hejaz is confined to Hejazi subjects, while in
Nejd it is open to all.
10. Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan .
{a) Although Mr. Macllonnell had arrived at Amman at the beginning of
July to prepare for his investigation (August report, section 7), and telegraphed
on the 14th July that he was ready for the Hejaz-Nejd agent and tribal repre
sentatives, the latter did not arrive at Amman until the 1st September. The
investigator spent the 3rd to the 13th September examining the Heiaz-Nejd
claims with the agent, who found that he had to make no less than 259 amendments
to the 226 Hejaz-Nejd claims, amendments which affected place, date, raiders
raided, loot and casualties. Eleven claims moreover were found not to lie against
tribe s afc all. These facts are mentioned to illustrate the care with
which the Hejaz Government had investigated every detail of every claim as
they insisted in June, an investigation which they considered rendered any
further investigation on the spot by Mr. MacDonnell a work of supererogation
ihe opening meeting was held at Amman on the 15th September. Trouble
and discord soon arose. The Hejaz-Nejd agent suggested on the 19th that he
was only there to prepare Hejaz-Nejd claims and not to answer those of
Iransjordan. The investigator refused to accept such an idiotic idea On the
22nd the agent demurred to his tribal representatives being forced to give evidence
He retereTboth ASAn l h a r mmiStered St l Ctly after the B^ouin fashion,
ne reterrea both matters to his Government. On the 24th September -i wnrHv
brawl took place before Mr. MacDonnell’s arrival for the morninsT^sio,f Ztl
sssssJssvxatt: src's SSSE ““
adjournment, until the 29th. On the afternoon of tW ^ &e ’ afte ^ a s
occurred, another Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan sheikh w \ i d 7 a , Second mcident
display of temper when reauired hv th* .^ utla( L^ m - Za 4 making a childish
severely repr 1 ^hk:i V Mrilil4onnr S :f ?h t °rf’ Ve e " d ?" c<; He was
reported the matter to his Government as annth/^ H ®J az - N ejd agent duly
30th September to the 5th October the meetings were adTourMd^Z
agent having decided to withdraw his delegates to ^ i . ^ Hejaz-Nejd
examination and the oath Resumed on thJFfuh n t k ait mstmctl0 «s about cross-
the following day, and again" to tbe wUhdS ^'thrH a< ']° Urned
sentatives, this time under instmoHnna f™™ fu • a ^ a t le Hejaz-Nejd repre-
heavy reparation for X <Onsult s ” A c“ ff ^ eir n° ver “. w hich d''ema.nded
msUlts ' A coffee P a rty quarrel on about the 13th