Coll 28/9 ‘Persia; Internal affairs; Shah’s tours in Persia: general situation reports’ [‎132r] (274/1038)

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coming to Ears. A conscientious, honest and hard-working official, he was the
very opposite to his successor, Abul Rath Mirza, Dowlat Shahi, a pleasing
individual but a confirmed gambler and spendthrift. But the latter is a repre
sentative of the class which owes position to rank and influence. I imagine that
he will not hold his position for long, as he is being hard pressed by creditors.
14. I have not heard many reports showing the working of the Adliyeh.
But efforts have been made to improve the status of the judges and I know of no
case of flagrant injustice.
15. The worst public service appears to be the Post Office, the staff being
not only backward but inadequate. The telegraph services have not been brought
up to date for external work. In Shiraz the whole routine of the office depends
upon one man, an Armenian formerly of the I.E.T. Department staff.
16. Good and steady progress is being made with education and the Persian
youth of both sexes is now receiving a very fair elementary and middle-course
education, including physical drill.
17. Many improvements have been made in communications during the last
five years. Roads are being maintained and reconstructed. Mechanical
transport, on which traffic depends, is under stricter control and the traveller is
provided with up-to-date transport. Omnibus services between Bushire-Shiraz-
Isfahan cater for the more moderate purse.
18. Town improvements on a fair scale have been undertaken during the
last six years and most towns now possess a large central avenue. In Shiraz
street-making is in progress and sections of the old bazaar are being done away
with for the object. The most noticeable work is in Isfahan, where some
500 houses have been pulled down recently for the northern extension of the
Chahar Bagh Avenue, which will now be joined to the Tehran road. Work of
restoration has been undertaken in the Maidan. It is hoped to reconstruct this
on the original plan. The madrasseh and the masajid are being suitably repaired.
The town now has eight spinning-mills, and the construction of further factories
is in contemplation.
19. I am not touching upon commercial, economic or industrial questions
in this short report. References to these subjects were made in my summary of
events and conditions in the Province of Ears for the year 1935.
20. During my stay in Persia I have seen the disarming of the tribes m
Kurdistan and the consequent revolt of the Jaf chieftain, Ja afar Sultan. This
took nearly two years to quell and was followed by the troubles in Luristan.
Here the disturbances were due to attempts by Government to settle the Lurs m
other districts. The Qashqai and Khamseh tribes had been disarmed befoie my
arrival in Ears, and the last revolt of the Qashqai chieftain, Ali Khan, had been
suppressed. Saulat-ud-Dowleh had only just died in a Tehran prison, and the
Qavam-ul-Mulk was residing in the capital, as were the principal relatives ot
both chiefs. The rigid control of the tribes under Military Governors has
continued ever since and the project of settlement of the tribes in defined areas,
with the abolition of the annual migrations, is materialising. All these measures
are aimed at the breaking-up of the tribal system. I have not heard of any strong
personality likely to come forward to claim the tribal chieftainship it tne
opportunity should occur. . ^ T •
21 . I have had few relations with private individuals and officials in
general as these are all prohibited from approaching me. Any P 618 ^ 11 0 T? ®
having business with me must first of all explain it to the police. e a ions
the Governor-General, the municipality and the police, whom I can approach
freely, have been excellent and I have both personally and o cia y re
most ready and courteous assistance . Gove ™ 01 ^
however, a consul’s official relations with Persian officials are ^f p aGs h f ^ t p ° v r J r
Few of these officers will assume any responsibility and ev ® r y ’ ^
small, must first be referred to the capital. The iast five years too, have see ^
introduction of a mass of legislation, often imperfec an i -q or Qy
made conditions of life for foreigners m Persia ^ore/“.. ^ ^ ^
mention the Law on the Residence of Foreigners m Persia ^/^^^ade
the Marriage Law, the Law on Foreign Doctors and the Foreign Irade
Monopoly Law^ no s ^ et act i v ities in ^ the^ecreast" I^do^t
years. Their commercial activities, too, appeal o
consider that the Soviets have any influence m r ars.