File 3360/1916 Pt 3 'Persian correspondence. (1918-22)' [‎97r] (204/668)

'In any case I do not admit the validity of the argument that the South Persia
Eifles should pay navaqil road-dues because it is not formally recognised by the
'Persian Government.
4. I am not prepared to accept the statement that the administration of
this force has in any way encouraged a repeated breach of the law by its
employes. I contend that the payment of navaqil has not been shown to be
in accordance with the law. Navaqil is a road-due pure and simple. To the
best of my knowledge and belief the levying of voad-dues along trade routes
in Southern Persia is not in accordance with international agreements, made
when customs rates were revised. If my impression be correct navaqil road-
dues are similar to rahdari road-dues, under another name and would appear to
be illegal and not legal. It is desirable that this point be settled definitely by
the higher authorities
5. In my memorandum No. J -2-3707, dated the 8th September 1919»
I shewed that transport of the South Persia Bifles was divided into three
classes
(i) Transport belonging to South Persia Rifles, Units of all arms, and
South Persia Rifles, Supply and Transport Units (Mule Corps,
etc )
(ii) Semi-permanently hired South Persia Rifles Transport, which is
constantly employed on long term contracts.
(Hi) Casually hired transport. The payment of navaqil, by class (Hi)
has not been objected to. The arguments adduced by you for
the payment of navaqil by class (ii) appear to me to be almost
equally applicable to class (i). You do not, however, state defi
nitely whether you consider that class (i) also should be regarded
[ as liable to the payment of navaqil. Even if navaqil be regarded
as a legal road due for merchants’ transport, it does not follow
necessarily that the South Persia Rifles Transport is liable for
the payment of navaqil.
6. The rate paid by the South Persia Rifles administration is the lowest
possible rate on which the muleteers semi-permanently hired can be obtained,
or can be retained in the service of the South Persia Rifles. The South Persia
Rifles semi-permanently hired transport accompanies columns on _ military
operations, goes into action with Units, and charvadars have been killed and
wounded This liability vitiates any comparison with rates paid by civilians
for transport. The rates are revised constantly, and have come down during the
past year from nine krans per mule daily to 5^ krans, the prices of foodstuffs
having fallen to half the rates of last year. As I stated in my previous memo
randum, the actual rate so paid by the South Persia Rifles is higher than it
would be if any assistance at all in this matter were afforded by the local
Persian authorities.
The actual rate paid is the lowest rate at which the semi-permanently
hired transport muleteers wdll consent to serve with the South Persia Rifles, on
the understanding that, as South Persia Rifles Transport, they arenot liable for
navaqil or anv other road-dues. Since the opening of the Ruskire road,
muleteers plying for hire for merchants have been earning considerably more
per mule per month than the monthly rate paid by the South Persia Eifles for
semi-permanently hired mules. Previous to the opening o e us ire r0 ^
His Highness the Governor-General stated to me more than once that 10
krans per mule daily was barely sufficient to feed the muleteer and his animals
and this was true. The payment by South Persia Rifles muleteers of navaqil
or any other road dues would have two undesirable results .
(a) The rates of hire would have to be increased proportionately to the
payments for navaqil so made.
This is a natural process of the law of supply and demand and I cannot
therefore admit the contenticn that the payment of navaqil would cause no
extra expense to the British tax-payer.