File 3540/1916 'MESOPOTAMIA 1920 PORTION (1)' [‎424r] (874/1006)

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! 7. WEATHER,
Nothing to report.
2: .i ....8. REVENUE. .lho
• ! Owing partly, to damage by Labour Corps at Daurah.it has beep found
hecessary torefarmi the: vegetable tax. The nett loss on the year will be
Rs. 18,424. J
. Current Revenue for 1919 is coming in well throughout the Division, and
Kadhimain has only about Rs. 1,000 on the last Shitwi left, collect, but
has still considearble arrears of A.D. Scheme Advances* and Loans to come
in. Baghdad is almost clear on this head.
Date count in Kadhimain amounted to— ; .
. Datetrees •••. ... ... ... ... 42,166
Fruit trees ........ : ... ... 34,500
Total demand ... ... ... ... Rs. 12,697 12
a figure slightly below the budget estimate.
9. TAPU.
The Office, at Kadhimain is working well and has dealt with 48 trans
actions during the month, the total revenue accruing from fees amounting to
Rs. 1,100. i
The Baghdad office has, I understand, as much work as it can undertake.
The property market is extremely active and exorbitant, prices are being paid
for buildings and building land.
i 10. WAQF.
The Baghdad Municipality has acquired some Waqf land in the Awaina
quarter by exchange.
/ The new date crop of Taji has been estimated giving a total of 142 tons
and 785 kilos. Conversion rates will be worked out, as soon as the market
appears steady.
The Muntikah land and its boundaries with the Mutawaliyah gardens
and with Government land is the subject of a fierce dispute. The question
has been precipitated by Railways', desiring to acquire a portion of the land.
The A.P.O. has several times/visited the land as also has the Land Acquisition
Officer. Any attempt to fit together Tapu sanads with reference to the ground
is hopeless.' The mater is obviously one for compromise, and may well now
be left to the Land Settlement. A number of complaints from Tapu;tenants
have been received complaining of the hardness of the Department as a land
lord. These are under report. The Department also nave projects for
building new shops in Baghdad.
11. EDUCATION.
The Kadhimain school re-opened on August 12th under a new headmaster.
A movement has been started in Baghdad towards the formation of a
Sunni Secondary School. It is probable that the motives of the promoters
are not. purely educational. ( . . ,
. Baghdad and Kadhimain Municipalities are being asked to contribute
Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 12,500 respectively towards education.. I have expressed
the opinion that these demands are too high.
12 QUESTIONS AFFECTING MILITARY AUTHORITIES
BILLETS.
Three Billetshave been released.duringthe month. No Billets have
been transferred from Military to Civil. .... „
The Clock Tower Barracks still has unoccupied accommodation available
for about 60B.O.R. The whole of the Serai has now been evacuated by Civil
Aeunments and is in part occupied by Military officers. . .
P A scheme for the allotment of the available billets suitable formarried
officers was submitted to the Advance Section Commandant on the 31st July,
but the Military Authorities are still unable to give me a definite repl on
the ssbjecttimeting was taken over by Advance Section the work of my office
has been greatly increased and efficiency impaired. The D.A.MG.’s branch
in G H Q. will not allow Advance Section to do anything without their sanc
tion andmy hands are similarly tied by Advance Section No good purpose
is served by this unnecessary supervision the only result of. which is frictiong
i delay and increased correspondence. . ; .t . -.i,, • -0 T c g "
Accommodation for about 500 men is still standing idle m 701A M.
owing to delay in completion of the necessary outbuildings. This accommoda-
Kn was put at the disposal of the Military Authorities in June
L 8 thatforyerddent!
are lgtienbepsngs betwen 250 per cent, and 300 per cent. below the Municipal
A’ssssmeht.." ' '