'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1938' [‎18v] (36/60)

24
Police. —Yawar Jahan Ara vacated the post of Chief of Police in September
on transfer to Bushire. Sarbahr Taj Bakhsh officiated up to the end of the
year.
Rasadban III Mansuri from the Police Training School at Tehran was
appointed Chief of Police at Minab. On arrival at Bandar Abbas in November
he was put in charge of the local prison where he shortly afterwards committed
suicide for reasons not known.
The Chief of Police is also in charge of the local passport department. It
is reliably reported that this department provides the Chief and his staff with
an appreciable private income.
Posts and Telegraphs. —Bashir Farahmund continued as Director through
out the year. Foreign mail for private individuals is frequently tampered
with, but covers for H. M.'s Consulate are treated with greater respect and no
case of interference came to notice.
Education. —Efforts are being made to improve and increase educational
facilities at Bandar Abbas. Education is free though not compulsory. There
is a primary school for boys and one for girls up to the 6th standard. The
first standard of a middle school was opened during the year and higher stan
dards will be added as the scholars advance. English is being taught as the
second language in the middle school.
There is also a night-school for grown-ups who have been warned that
with effect from the new year (April 1939) business licenses will not be granted
to illiterates.
Municipality. —The Governor is ex officio President of the Municipality.
A grant of rials 90,000 (£1,125) was made by the Ministry of the Interior for
construction of a municipal building. The post of Governor was, however,
vacant for over 8 months and the new premises had not been commenced by
the end of the year. For similar reasons the grant of rials 380,000 (£4,750)
made by the Central Government for Town improvements was sparsely uti
lised. The new Governor has some good ideas on this subject and it remains
to be seen if he retains sufficient energy to carry them out.
Health. —There were no epidemics during 1938 and the general health
of the town and district was good.
Industry. —The conditions of labour at the Khunji Spinning Mill were
unfavourably reported on and until improvements in the buildings are made
and better ventilation provided, night shifts have been stopped. There was
also a shortage of raw cotton towards the end of the year.
The Director of Mines visited the Hormuz, Namakdan and Bostaneh
(near Lingah) salt mines in January. No salt was exported from these mines
during 1938.
All mines in this district are now under the control of the local Director
of Customs and Finance.
During the year 10,485 tons of red oxide were shipped from Hormuz.
Developments. —The new power station, with a German plant erected by
German engineers from Tehran, commenced to function in December and so
far has provided good service.
In May Central Government Inspectors toured in Bandar Abbas and in
vited local merchants to express their views for the improvement of trade and
trading conditions generally. Among other points the merchants recommend
ed,—
(а) relief from the present restrictions on trade ;
(б) reduction of municipal taxes ;
(c) provision of a hospital with a qualified doctor at the port ;
{d) improved sanitation in the town.
Dr. H. Blegvad, the Danish expert, was in Bandar Abbas from the 27th
March—3rd April for a final survey in connection with the establishment of the
Iranian Fisheries industry. It is understood that a Company has been formed