'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1936' [‎16r] (31/74)

lO 1
The Chief of the Provincial Police was dismissed in the summer for
corrupt practices along with the Chief of the J own Police. His successor
died shortly after his arrival. The present Chief of Police is a courteous
and pleasant individual, transferred from Hamadan. He is very interest
ed in traffic control and exercises efficient control in the Bazaars. Burgla
ries have been less prevalent during 1936 than in former years and the
discipline of the Force seems to be good.
The Finance Department has been in charge of a cousin of the Gover
nor-General throughout the year. The visit of the Minister of Finance
at the close of 1935 has had little effect in Fars, as few of his promises have
been carried into effect. The Agricultural Taxes have been collected un
remittingly all through the year. The Opium Monopoly Office has had
a quiet year owing to partial failure of the crops and towards the end of
the year it was announced that cultivation of opium poppies was to be
stopped and cotton to be grown in its place under the direction of the Cotton
Monopoly Company.
No new Public Works have been put in hand during the year. One
of the main avenues through Shiraz has been continued westwards as far as
Masjid-i-badi to form the commencement of a through road to Ahwaz.
When it was announced that the visit of the Shah was to be expected patch
ing operations were begun on the Isfahan road. Various unmetalled roads
were made in the Merv-Dasht plain to facilitate collection of beet toi the
new sugar factory An East India Company trading post. .
Spasmodic work was done on the Shiraz-Bushire road. As machinery
for the new factories is being brought into the country by Bushire to avoid
the congestion of Khorremshahr, it will be necessary to keep the road in a
better state of repair and possibly the problem of crossing the "mashileh"
may be tackled. But in the meanwhile the road is steadily deteriorating
as is evidenced by the fact that the general rate of hire for motor transport
from Bushire to Shiraz is double that on other roads in Iran. The road
was inspected early in the year by the Director of the Road Department of
the Ministry of Communications. Mechanical transport has been brought
under stricter Government control during the year. Public omnibus ser
vices have been maintained for most of the year between Bushire and
Isfahan. m
The Postal Services continued to function slowly but reasonably surely.
An office was opened at Takht-i-Jamshid (Persepolis) in the summer. The
long talked-of airmail service from Tehran seems to have been postponed
indefinitely and the existing aerodrome after a considerable sum of money
had been spent on its improvement was decided by a joint commission of
military officers and officials from the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs to
be unsuitable. Military opinion was against its use for any purpose in
co-operation with civil authority. Telegraph services are reported to be
very inadequate, largely through lack of staff.
The Agricultural Department is now largely concerned with the ope
rations of the new Government Companies for trade in cotton, skins, wheat,
dried fruits, etc. The opium crop having been unsatisfactory and Govern
ment having decided to limit production, large areas have^ been planted
with cotton and wheat. The total area under cultivation in Fars is said
to be about 600,000 hectares. Last year's crop of cotton amounted to 6
million kilogrammes, while 300,000 kilos of opium were produced. Gov
ernment buyers did not take the whole stock of opium, but cotton found a
ready market for the mills of Isfahan and Shiraz. Supplies of cotton for
Russia are also required, as commitments have not been fulfilled. Increased
quantities have been planted in the Kazerun and Abadeh areas. Cotton
ginnins: plant has been installed at Kazerun and Mamessani, and is on
order for Shiraz, Abadeh, Fasa and Jahrum.
The Government Grain purchasing organisation bought supplies in
the Province and it is said that it is to be sold back to buyers for private