Coll 30/5 'Persian Gulf. Diaries: Bushire Residency (Persian), Jany. 1931 - Dec. 1940' [‎611r] (1221/1320)

Saiyid Husain Siadat, was released on bail
on the 17th February, but was again im
prisoned on the 5th March.
\haikh Ali Dashti, a Majlis Deputy for
Bi&hire, who arrived from Tehran on the
24th March, is interesting himself on his
behalf but by the end of the month had not
obtained his release.
39. British Interests.
Reference paragraph 29 of April 1931.
Messrs. Haji Saiyid Muhammad Reza Kazer-
uni and Sons have given out that as a
result of their appeal to Tehran with regard
to their case against Messrs. The Mesopo
tamia Persia Corporation as Agents of the
British India Steam Navigation Company
the Supreme Court at Tehran has ordered
that the case against the Corporation
should be retried by the Courts at Isfahan.
The claim is for tumans 240,000 being the
value of 100 cases of opium shipped by the
Kazeruni firm by s. s. “ Varela ” for transit
to Dairen. This consignment was later
confiscated by the Chinese Government
on its arrival at Shanghai.
Originally the Bushire Court decided on
the 24th April that Mespers could not be
held as Defendants and this view was
upheld by the Appeal Court at Shiraz. A
Revision application was filed by Kazeruni.
40. Festivals.
(u) His Majesty the Shah’s Birthday.
The Shah’s Birthday was officially celebrat
ed on the 15th March. This was under
orders from Tehran and the Governor held
a reception in the morning at the Gover-
norate. The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , accom
panied by his staff, paid a congratulatory
visit.
In the evening the larger shops and offices
in Bushire were illuminated. People did
so only half-heartedly and in order to avoid
punishment.
At Mohammerah, the Governor held a
reception at night where a buffet was
provided and supper lavishly served. His
Majesty’s Vice-Consul and representatives
of British firms attended the reception.
The Governor of Abadan held a similar
reception to which were invited the General
Manager, and senior staff of the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company, Limited.
A salute of 3 guns was fired by the Persian
gunboat “ Homai ” on the morning of the
15th March in honour of the occasion.
(b) Nouroz (Persian New Year Day ).—
Nouroz was celebrated on the 21st March.
The Assistant Governor (in the absence
of the Governor on tour) held a reception
MC113FD
at the Governorate in the morning. The
Hon’ble the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. being away
on tour, the Secretary and other staff
attended.
41. Economic Conditions.
Reference paragraph 21 of February.
The economic conditions are steadily dete
riorating.
The Government has done nothing to
deal with the situation.
Owing to the scarcity of fodder and grain
in Bushire and the hinterland, animal
caravans have ceased to visit Bushire.
They now come up to Kazerun only. Noth
ing further has been done by the Bushire
Municipality to relieve the water scarcity,
and the arrangements by which water was
to be brought from Mohammerah has been
cancelled for some reason or other.
42. Bandar Areas.
(a) British Interests. —Mr. A. R. Pitt of
the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Limited,
visited Minab between the 26th and the 27th
February to study the oil market there.
He returned to Mohammerah on the 3rd
March.
(b) Russians. —M. Cherkasoff, the local
Agent of the Russian trade, visited Lingah
from the 3rd to the 11th March to study the
local market.
(c) Local Government. —The Sulhieh Court
at Bandar Abbas was closed down on the
14th March when its President left for
Tehran. On the 10th March Aqa Abdul
Hussain Mirza arrived from Tehran and
joined his post as Deputy Governor of
Minab. A Customs official, Saiyid Ali
Khan Ashrafi, has been suspended on a
charge of misappropriation. He will be
tried at Tehran.
43. Mohammerah.
(a) National Bank of Persia. —Reference
paragraph 27 (a) of February. As a result
of the enquiry made by the Governor-
General, His Excellency Zaher-ul-Mulk,
both the officials of the National Bank of
Persia, namely Aqa Nimaziand Aqa Naji,
were dismissed from service from the 18th
March.
(b) Shaikh Sir Khazal Khan. —Reference
paragraph 27 (/) of February. Aqa Muhan-
dis-el-Memalik, Agent of the Shaikh, accom
panied by Ibtihaj-es-Sultan and Aqa
Hakim-ul-Mulk on behalf of the Persian
Government, visited Mohammerah, on the
22nd March, in connection with the disposal
of the landed property of the Shaikh.
They returned to Ahwaz the next day.