'Adminisistration [Administration] Reports 1931-1935' [‎94v] (188/416)

18
2. Haji Shams-ud-Din Jalali who had been appointed Governor-General In
Fars in July 3932 was suddenly recalled to Tehran on August 19th. After a
short interval during which Mirza Mohd. Ali Khan Shaibani, director of the
Finance Department of Fars, assumed the duties of acting Governor-General,
Mirza Majid Khan Alii, formerly of the Judicial Department in Tehran, was
appointed' to the vacant post and arrived in Shiraz on September 29th.
The new Governor-General, whose pet schemes are to provide Shiraz with
an adequate water supply and to construct additional “ Khiabans ”, has proved
himself a capable and energetic official and has adopted a helpful and friendly
attitude towards TL M.’s Consulate.
Other local officials also appeared to be well disposed but acting evidently
on instructions not to enter into intimate relations with foreigners of any
description were careful to keep themselves at a discreet distance. The bail
also fell, though perhaps less rigidly, on non-officials and there was more than
one instance of Persian visitors to the Consulate being questioned by tli e Police
as to the reason of their visit. As a result, many of those who used to be
frequent visitors latterly never put 1 in an appearance. In some cases they
expressed regret and hinted darkly that they would like to, but feared the
consequences.
A noticeable and pleasant exception was provided by one old Persian
merchant of some seventy or eighty years of age, formerly a power in Shiraz,
now something of a spent force but still a greatly respected figure, who arrived
quite cheerfully astride his donkey, whenever an occasion for calling presented
itself.
Economic hardships probably prevented the people from bothering their
heads over much with political questions and the Basidu incident, though
reported briefly in the local press, failed to arouse any real interest much less
ill-feeling. Similarly the press article dispute in the latter part of the year
produced no visible reoercussions and probably passed unnoticed by all
save habitual readers of the Tehran newspapers.
What is more certain, however, is that there were genuine and widespread
complaints against the present government and a belief, freely expressed, that
its economic policy was ruining the country. Landowners and cultivators
found it impossible to pay the revenue charges of two or three years ago. The
government departments would agree to no diminution and failure to pay meant
fines and confiscation of crops.
The merchants, also, fettered by regulations and handicapped by the almost
complete cessation of the opium trade and the poverty of the peasants which
its non-cultivation entailed, and by the fact that the present import quotas
tended to divert traffic from the Bushire-Shiraz route to the Bandar-Skahpur-
Ahwaz route, complained bitterly that the volume of trade had shrunk to
one-third of what it had been in former years. While such complaints were not
aimed directly against H. I. M. there can be little doubt that part of the blame
foi the pieseiu state of affairs was attached to him and, though he was still
admired j:or his courage and energy, certain veiled criticisms of his action in
acquiring property for himself at the expense of his people were heard from
widely separated quarters.
ig condition of roads and communications in the province snoweu
appreciable change Irom the previous year. Minor improvements were effect
on the roads from Shiraz to Bushire and Isfahan and repair gangs were
evidence at various points. Shiraz was linked by telegraph to Ardakan
•the north-west and to Firuzabad to the south. Work on the new motor ro
mu ifQi • ' er t0Wn Wa i f 0 ^ menced and a stri P extending some 5 or 6 mi]
PpH 0 ^ P aZ i WaS Gd the end of tlie y ear - The intention is that tral
between Bushire and Shiraz should eventuallv travel via this route instead
who/o \ bUl The upkee P of th e streets of Shiraz was on t
in II ?! 0 / 7 thougl1 f vera l gapmg holes at various points threaten
buted to ih^JrW 0 ™ 1 ^ newly acquired motor fire-engine cont
of the inmnDr-e the n l ai n thoroughfares and also to the entertaininc
stopped to refill" CG ^ never failed to attract an admiring crowd whenever
Remarkable progress was made during the year with the nroiect for ere
t 7 n - "D som e initial dTffi Jts^Tompany »
q } formed and m March an order was placed with Messrs. Platt Bros.