'Administration Reports of the Persian Gulf, 1945 [-1946]' [‎132r] (276/414)

11,
XI. FI. TT 3LICirY ^ MOBILE
In 194-5, there were 23 Reading Rooms in the Kerman
and Yezd areas. All of them were closed in November 1945 except
one in Kerman and one in Yezd^ and in 1946 up to the end of Sep-
-tember Publicity activities were on a greatly reduced scale.
During this period small quantities of periodicals , pamphlets,
newspapers and magazines lit Persian, French and English were received
from the P.R.3., Tehran, for the abovenientioned Reading Rooms.
These were mostly for sale but included some for free distiibution.
Sales did not come up to expectations. The main publicity activity
was carrie(f^through the medium of the Consul at qfc/lobile Cinema which
gave regular shows throughout the year in Kerman, Sirjan. Bam, Yezd,
Mahan, Rafsinjan, and in villages in the districts, also in Govern-
-ment schools and Military units. This feature has always been most
popular and greatly appreciated especially amongst the villagers
to whom 1 talkies * are a unique and new experience. ♦
On the 5th September, instructions were received
from the British Embassy, Tehran, to renew and enlarge publicity
activities and the budget was also increased. The name " Publicxfcgc
Relations Bureau " was changed to the " British Embassy Information
Department " and reading rooms were opened in Sirjan. Bam, Rafsinjan,
Mahan, Baft, Bardsir, Bayaz, and Bezenjan, for which the usual
reading matter and publicity materials have been received regularly
from the Information Department. With these materials, Magazines and
papers for free distribution amongst Government officials and
notables were also received but the major portion was for sale.
Papers for free distribution were found to be short of requirements,
ill publicity material was sent to out-station reading rooms about
2 to 3 times a week by post. The publication of a Daily News Bulletin
consisting of the 7.4-5 a.m. B.B.C. news broadcast was unfortunately
delayed until February 20th owing to the lack of a suitable radio-
-set". Photographic build-ups and miscellaneous posters received were
displayed in all Reading Rooms.
In November, a new Cinema Van was received from Tehran
to replace the old one which was reconditioned and presented to the
C.M.S. Hospital, Kerman.
3.
I. CONSULAR SUB-OFFICE.
Mr. Abdur Rahman was Clerk in Charge of the Yezd
Consular Sub-Office throughout the year.
II. VI31101x3.
During the period under report .the following stayed
in the guest house of the Consular Sub-Ofi ice
British 16
Americans 5
Danes 2
III. British Interests.
(a) T rade.
~ Most Yezdi merchants have branch offices in Bombay and
Karachi but none represents any British or Indian firms. They
import chiefly tea, sugar, dyes, cotton piecegoods and^spices from
India. Some have applied for agencies of British manuiac i^ureis of
bicycles, tyres and tubes, leather goods, cutlery ani woolen fabrics
etc. and have been encouraged to address their enquiries to the Indian
Government's Trade Commissioner in ^ehran.