'File 11/1 VI Muscat Administration Reports and related correspondence' [‎21r] (41/56)

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advertised for a doctor in the local papers in Karachi. Many applications
have been received but no one has arrived yet. It is believed that the
Government have accepted a man from Bombay. Soon after Dr. Stevens left
the Compounder also resigned. The Sanitary Inspector proceeded to Lahore
on leave in November and there is every likelihood, of his not returning
either. However, the Administrator takes active interest in the Gwadur
Municipality and the sanitation. It is hoped that a doctor will soon
arrive in Cwadur as this is most essential here.
Communications.
1 2. The local post office is still under the management of the Govern
ment of Pakistan. In July a wireless was installed on a short term plan
to ease the traffic kb on the telegraph land line which keeps constantly
breaking down. This has proved no asset so far, because the wireless is
seldom or ever in working order. The excuse is that the batteries are run
down or that the changing machine is out of working order. There has been
a slight improvement in both for the last two months. I find that during
the summer months the land line keeps breaking down frequently, and dfuring
the winter months it works well. The cause for this might be that in the
summer we have very strong winds, and not so much of it in the winter. As
compared with last year there has been no remarkable improvement at all,
except for the installation of the wireless.
Jith regard to the postal department, several complaints were
received from Hindu merchants who correspond with Indian firms, some of
whom are agents. The complaint was that ,, hundies M (or cheques' were sent
to India under registered cover, but when they were received there the
envelopes were said to contain only blank papers. The matter was taken up
with the local Sub Postmaster who referred the matter to his head office at
Karachi with a request to make enquiries. The reply received was that the
letters in question were correctly despatched from Karachi for their onward
destinations and that they did not hold themselves responsible. Further
complaints were received but enquiries ended with the same result, so the
matter was referred to the Consul, Muscat, who has taken the matter to
higher authorities.
Water Supply.
13» There is nothing much to be said about the drinking water in Gwadur,
except that all the wells have dried up and new ones have had to be dug
further North. Some water was caught in the catchment on the Koh-Batail
due to a slight downpour of rain in March! which lasted for about half an
hour. The public used to go up on the hill and fetch their water. This
dried up in about two month’s time, but even before that people were unable
to drink this water as others found it an inviting spot to swim in. The
,ali stopped it but too late, as the damage had already been done. The
price of water here remains the same and also Pishkan, but the price of
water in Sur went as far as Rs. 1/- per kerosene oil tin (4 gals). I am
told that only a month or two ago the price came down to Rs.-/4/- per tin.
The cause for this is the same as Gwadur, wells drying up, no rainfall for
the past four years, and new wells to be dug. These wells a^dug and looked
after by some local Baluchi, who in turn pays one or two men to help him
clean them from time to time. As mentioned in my report of last year, the
water supply here really relies on the rainfall which is very scarce.
General.
14. Trade . Last year I reported that some Egyptian rice had been imported
to Gwadur to be sold at a controlled price. This year Gwadur was allotted
60 tons of good quality sugar from the United Kingdom also to be sold at a
controlled price but this turned out to be a farce. 30 tons were imported
for the first half of 1950 and the price quoted was a few annas less than
the current market price. Only one third of this was controlled at Rs.5/12
per local maund, and no control was exercised over the remaining two thirds
which was allowed to be sold at the current market price of Rs. 7/8 per
local maund. The matter was immediately reported to the Consul who referred
it to the Resident at Bahrain.
Smuggling in Gwadur,
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