Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎397v] (799/1028)

Municipality .—At the beginning of the year a main artery road was cut
through the middle of the town involving the demolition of about 1.00 houses. At
first cash compensation was refused ; building sites in an old cemetery being
offered in lieu. However, in May, owing to a stream of complaints to Tehran,
Tumans J 2,000 as compensation was sanctioned. The money was not forth-
coming till November. It is estimated that the value of the property demoli
shed is Tumans 20,000 and so owners will only receive 60 per cent, as compensa
tion.
The Municipality administration has not been without its share of troubles
in the matter of bribery corruption and general inefficiency. Mirza Mehdi who
was in charge at the beginning of the year was removed by orders of the Central
Government. His son Abdul Hussein was appointed by the Governor who had
his own axe to grind. Abdul Hussein was soon in trouble owing to flagrant bribe
taking and found himself under arrest at the orders of the Public Prosecutor
a bitter enemy of the Governor. However the latter went to work and got the
accused released on bail which in Persia means that the case is dropped). A com
mittee was then appointed to run the municipality until a permanent incumbeut
could be found.
At the close of the year Agha Mehdi who had been dismissed for incompet
ence was Deputy Governor Rafsinjan, and Abdul Hussein is in Tehran where
he has been for some months trying to ensure that the case against him goes
no further. &
In October an Italian Engineer Mr. Visce arrived from Tehran as Municipal
Engineer. At the close of the year he was still without salary or appliances
and his work consisted of a rough design for a slaughter house.
tt- N ? vem 1 ber aild December the Governor tried to control the price of wheat
His efforts only led to a shortage and a deterioration in quality of such grain as*
was offered for sale. 6 a
t he Daladiyeh budget w^as raised from 5,000 to 11,500 Tumans.
TT„ Q ma t de ^eir appearance in April and caused considerable damage.
I p till late September Kerman was invaded by flight of winged adults which
Locusts. also , P rov ed destructive. The locusts
. . . penetrated to the tops of the highest
mountains w. t o over 14 000 feet and destroyed completely the grazing with the
usual that ^ trlbesmen left on their downward migration a month earlier than
sent i„ loan to ir ™ * 1 F • tne rnmic VVorks Uepartment
sent m 1930 to Kerman to organize a campaign against these pests.
shirf^Ma^ch* o'^dJrs% dePar t me t I l t exte " de<i . its activities to Bam and Narma
from Tehran in lulv hut & i. llrtilGr extension to Baluchistan were receivec
and funds In llvLw tf Y as f . taken owing to the lack of tents escort:
ana runas. In November the organization was extended to Jiruft
™ Th ? C< ? mndttee of Equiry went into the work of the department anfl rlD
covered extensive malpractices. Two of the officials were arrested It anneal
Mlebn^erCivehtte ' Vh0 Pa , id bribes as hetefofnon-Sr
well to do who refuserHnn! k ^ hllllS a f 0 ° d com P 1 exion a number of the mon
well advanced in vear<? P Ad m re s! J^ vn as being of military age althougl
ing how an old man sn'n^"pv°^ a b a P 01 published some facetious verses describ
info a^oung and lusty rec^it." 118 ^ re « enerated Sejjil-i-Ahwa
nUah.^eitd^SteJommZtec K ah ' S ha l con «™? d .to wane. Ayat
landed property findino- tint h„ f,’ i rN* ^"'onan for Rafsinjan where he ha:
articleshv^ap^ared fn the Im press! 6 PreShge left ' VirDlent aati - cleriea;
the “ Pehlevi ’^hat 1 ^ sever'd” 1 " "'' \ ear 0011 ducted a vigorous campaign for
rough treatment 11 The S of ^VdifeTh the matter ^ivec
“ hijab ’’.and organized twfj; P J tben t " r,led hls attention to th(
attended bv both men and nmr,?,' 1 P arto ™ ances in the Government School
women’s emanctnattef tJ 0 " 1611 ’ ‘j 1 ® ob l ect bai !>R to popularize the idea of
on these activities. 11C " s 0 l '° trouble in Afghanistan put a damper