Coll 28/85S (1) ‘Persia. Abadan and S. W. Persian oilfields; Protection of British interests.’ [‎99r] (197/1113)

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are alroaly
long as all
ac c ommodat c? in
accommodation is
:c nothing lot tor. The no;;
poorer
free,
minimum
w
ho
as
typp
ccnplain anc- agitate for
wage '•'basket" induces an
/;age payable under the
sum for rental; from this
item for housing and the monetary
Regulation dll give the worker a
angle a rental charge by the Company would not be unreasonablr
It would not, however, suffice to apply a rental charge to
Iranian personnel only, the scheme would have to be universal
and enforced also for Europeans.
29* A useful experiment in Abadan is the system of
Registrars, one being located cn each housing estate to
handle day to day queries and community records. There is
scope for the further development of corporate estate life-
through Registrars, District.hardens, Shopping Centres,
Club-rooms, etc. Club facilities have been provided by the
Company, but they arc few in number and restricted in
membership. Future development might well be on the lines of
small community centres.
Medical.
30.
The Company’s scheme for medical treatment and
compensation for sickness and injury compares v r ry
favourably with the requirements of existing Persian Law,
and new Government prcposals for the revision and extension
of Insurance legislation are unlikely to exceed the Company's
standarus. Benefits granted by the Company range from full
pay during sickness to the prevision of artificial limbs and
free burial, all of which exceed the requirements of Lav;.
Hospitals and Dispensaries are available for treatment of
workers, dependants and non-employees in that order. In
practice facilities are so limited that non-employees have
little opportunity of treatment - and there are- no alternative
facilities available for them. At the Masjid-i-Suleiman
hospital there were many empty beds, but needy non-employees
"wore being refused admittance cn the ground that the beds
must be held in reserve to me^t the Company's prior
responsibility to employees and dependants. In Abadan the
Company is presenting a Dispensary to the local authority,
and there ore plans for assisting, the authority to build a
public hospital. By encouraging the municipality to accept
a -F P i$ 1:L £ medical service pressure on the
limited lacilities c.l the Company will oe relieved.
There is room for extension of the Company medical
service by the development of local Dispensaries serving
housing areas. It is understood that this is an item in
current plans for revision of the whole medical service.
n Earlier criticism of differential treatment for Europeans
ano. Iranians apparently had seme basis in fact, but the
company is now pursuing a clear policy of non-distinction -
to the discontent of a section of the European Staff. 4t
Abadan accommodation still varies considerably in type and
gu ? 1 ^u :; • At Masjid-i-Suleiman there is no marked distinction
ano the hospital authorities express strong determination to
maintain equality of conditions and treatment.
Ed ucation .
°2* . Abadan is probably far better served than anywhere else
in Persia with educational facilities. The donation of 17
schools to the municipality and financial aid to the teaching
staff demonstrate the Company's real desire to ensure that
adequate facilities shall be available. There appears” ample
31