'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎25r] (54/470)

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off the beaten track and, except for one period of a few weeks, no troops have been
near it; and troops have not been billeted within its walls’
The municipality is considered to be self-supporting, but it does not in fact
pay for its town police, the expenses of which are at present met out of general
revenues.
Mandali, unlike the majority of towns, has very few heads of income, the only
items being the house tax, slaughter tax, and Maidaniyah.
At the beginning of the year, the town was in the usual insanitary state generally
found in this country; but the work of reform was taken in hand by Captain Hay,
with the result that it would be difficult now to find a cleaner-looking town.
There is a Rais Baladiyah, with clerical staff and the usual staff of town sweepers.
A Majlis al Baladiyah, unpaid, has also been formed, but the members are not
very active either in assistance or ideas for the promotion of local reforms. The
principal inhabitants have kept very much aloof from public affairs, probably OAving
to the fear that our occupation might be only temporary.
The town and district has not suffered from lack of food, and there has been no
such acute distress as has been met with in the rest of the Division.
Public latrines, town lighting, and improvement of the streets are being
constantly extended whenever funds permit.
Qizil Robat. The toAvn is a small one of about 350 houses, and a population of
1,700.
The most conspicuous buildings, Avith the exception of the mosque, are the
khans designed to accommodate the pilgrims’ traffic from Persia to Karbala.
Pilgrims were the main source of income to the inhabitants.
On our occupation, a Rais Baladiyah, clerk and sanitary staff were engaged.
The town was very empty at the beginning of the year, but soon began to
fill up.
The mtmicipality is not self-supporting. This is partly accounted for by the
fact that the presence of so many troops in the vicinity and town itself makes the
matter of sanitation doubly important, and expenses are accordingly high.
There is a canal running through the town, without sufficient water to keep a
proper flow. It becomes stagnant, and is then very obnoxious. Proposals have
been set on foot to have it bricked throughout. The cost would be very heavy, and
expert opinion is divided as to whether it would have the desired effect.
Chiefly through the efforts of Corporal Ford, the Sanitary Corporal, the state of
cleanliness in the town is good.
Like Khaniqin, the town was damaged by the Russians and the Turks, and
many of the buildings are partially destroyed. 5
5. Judicial. —For the first few months of the year while the Political Officer
dealt with all criminal cases, it was arranged that the mufti formerly in the service
of the Turks should deal with civil suits.
In May the Senior Judicial Officer, Baghdad, paid a visit to Khaniqin and
arranged to send from Baghdad a native Judge to institute a Peace Court, and
hear all civil and commercial cases up to a value of £T50, except cases relating to
agricultural lands.
The Peace Court opened at the beginning of June and the work of the Court
has been satisfactory throughout the year.
Court fees are charged in accordance with the Civil Courts Fees Rules.
At the request of the Political Officer, the Peace Judge also on occasions makes
preliminary investigations into criminal cases.
Until August there Avas no regular Mahkamah Shariah in Khaniqin and cases
were dealt with by the old Mufti. It Avas found that he was too old for the work.
A regular Court was instituted and a sunni Qadhi sent from Baghdad.
In Mandali there is one Qadhi sent from Baghdad. He acts both as Qadhi
and Judge of the Peace Court. The Courts opened in August. Previously justice
had been in the hands of the ex-Turkish Mufti. Justice, if it can be called so, was
practically being auctioned to the highest bidder. The Mufti was convicted and
exiled to ‘Amarah.
At Qizil Robat, one Haji ‘Abdul Qadir had been established as Qadhi for some
years before our occupation. The work is considerable there, and as the people
seemed satisfied with his decisions, he was asked to continue his work. He accepts
no salary from Government.