Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎114v] (228/290)

Mr. Garbett stated that he understood that the work of
administration was at present too technical to permit of the employ
ment of Arab officers, and he was not aware whether there were any
of these at present on the cadre. Many Arab pilots were, however,
employed on the river transport, and were, he believed, earning
excellent wages.
In reply to a question by Major Young, he stated that some
Indian labour was employed, together with a certain number of Kurds.
These were supplemented by local labour as far as possible, which,
however, was not available during the date season, during which
Arabs would be more profitably employed in the date gardens.
Major Young asked whether the numbers now employed were
for purely port work, or whether additional hands were being
employed on military work such as the moving of dumps, &e. He
thought that Indian labour should be reduced as far as possible.
Mr. Garbett said he was not in a position to give details.
Efforts were being made to reduce the amount of labour employed
by the introduction of labour-saving devices and by other means.
Colonel Wilson desired that as little Indian labour as possible should
be employed.
In reply to a question by the Chairman he stated that there
was no suggestion at all of excluding Arab labour or Arab admini^
trators if such were to be found.
It was agreed —
That the ports should be handed over to the civil administration
on the 1st April.
Mr. Garbett stated that the work of Mesopotamian surveys fell
under three headings :—
1. Military,
2. Geographical, and
3. Survey in connection with land revenues.
The work was in charge of a special stafl lent by the Indian
Surveys. The methods employed were as efficient and up-to-date
as anywhere in the world, and air photographs were employed to a
considerable extent. The method followed was to survey the
country in squares of large area, from which cadastral plans of
the villages and cultivated areas could be prepared later, in some
cases bv Arabs under British direction. He considered that this
method was both the most efficient and cheapest one possible for the
purposes in view.
Mr. Vernon said that the Treasury required fuller information
as to the financial status of the surveys before coming to a decision.
He pointed out that the standard of the Indian surveys was as high
as any in the world, and it was certainly open to doubt whether it
were necessary for the civil administration to maintain so high a
standard of survey work as had been reached for military purposes.
It was obvious that very great expense could be incurred if it were
intended to survey the whole of Mesopotamia up to the frontiers.
At the same time some revenue could presumably be expected from
the preparation of cadastral plans of villages and cultivated areas.
The Treasury wished for fuller financial information to enable them
to consult the Colonial Survey Committee with a view to comparing
expenses in Mesopotamia with those of a Crown colony.
Mr. Garbett said he would like to observe that the comparison
of Mesopotamia to a Crown colony was not, in his opinion, a good
one. He instanced the case of the salaries of officials in