Ext 5001/41 'PERSIA – INTERNAL (Miscellaneous despatches).' [‎55r] (109/248)

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earned a reputation for inefficiency and corruption unequalled elsewhere in the
country.
83. Persia has been allotted 540 medium-sized lorries from the Middle
East quota for 1944. One hundred arrived recently in Tehran, but delivery
to the Persian Government was held up by the Office of the Foreign Economic
^Administration on the authority of the Road Transport Board, on account of
the Millspaugh crisis (as described above in the section on American interests).
Another one hundred vehicles, also for the Persian Government, are due to
arrive soon. The remainder of the quota for Persia is intended for acquisition
by private importers; but the Government retains the right to take over some
of these vehicles if replacements are required for the Government fleet.
84. There is a severe shortage of passenger-car tyres. Paiforce, however,
have agreed to advance 400 until shipments for the Persian Government beo-in
to arrive. ° -
85. It is planned to organise a National Bus Service to carry passengers
and mail regularly on the principal routes. Delays in the transport of mail
have for some time been a serious cause of complaint and this and certain other
plans now on foot to improve this service will be very welcome.
Desert Locust Control.
86. At the beginning of the June quarter all the entomologists in Persia
(Persian, British and Russian) were anxiously awaiting some indication of the
scale of the current invasion of desert locust swarms from Arabia. The Soviet
anti-locust mission particularly entertained fears of an influx through eastern
Persia into the LTiion of Soviet Socialist Republics.
87. However, the reports which filtered in during April made it clear
that these swarms were small and scattered but also that they did not migrate
with great impetus. Personal investigation by a Soviet entomologist proved
that they had not penetrated further north than Seistan, and there and elsewhere
they were shown by later reports to have scattered and probably lost their
gregarious instinct, except in Laristan, the mountainous country north of Lingeh.
88. Owing to the difficulty of conveying news from that district the Persian
Ministry of Agriculture are still unaware with what success their work-parties
have controlled the 4.500 hectares which were infested with eggs, but there is
every reason to expect that an insignificant number of locusts wilT escape.
89. The present situation in Persia is, therefore, very satisfactory and
there was every justification for the withdrawal (in late April) of the British
ground and air detachments from the Bandar Abbas area. Mr. Lean the
British locust control officer in Persia, has returned to the United Kingdom
and the other British entomologist, Mr. H. S. Darling, is being transferred to
Uganda.
90. I am sending copies of this despatch to the Government of India to
the Minister Resident in the Middle East, to His Majesty’s Ambassador in
Moscow and to all consular officers in Persia.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.