'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1937' [‎7r] (13/72)

3
Department commenced by itself selling wheat to the public, but later mer
chants were allowed to purchase wheat in order to prevent delay in purchase
a nd destruction by weevil.
There was a certain amount of shortage of wheat towards the end of the
year on account of excessive exportation to Germany.
Monopolisation of Tobacco. —During the year, local stocks of tobacco were
bought by the Tobacco Monopoly Authorities, who classified the same into
three classes and offered them for sale at two shops at rials 16 (4.s.), rials 15
(3. e . 9c?.) and rials 14 (35. 6cZ.) respectively for every 3 kilos. Cigarettes of the
Tob&cco Monopoly Factory An East India Company trading post. , Tehran, were imported into Bushire and sold
there.
Smuggling continued to be rife during the year though the Customs Pre
ventive Department were successful in checking to a great extent the smuggl
ing of tea and sugar. In the southern ports, monopoly laws were relaxed as
regards rigging for dhows.
Roads and Communications.
1. Bushire-Shiraz Road. —This road was repaired in places and the em
bankment and bridges between Bushire and Borazjan completed. The sec
tion, however, remained closed to traffic upto the end of the year, cars con
tinuing to use the old track.
2. Shiraz-Firuzahad-Bushire Road. —In July, construction work of this
road was taken in hand from Shiraz side and the section Shiraz and Firuzabad
(105 miles east of Bushire) was open by the end of the year.
3. During the year, the construction of two Iranian wireless stations, one
at Bushire and another at Jask, was completed and operation commenced.
Education.
During the year the Education Department pushed on its work. It is
reported that arrangements have been made for the teaching of over 3,000
illiterates in night classes in the local schools. The Anglo-Iranian Oil
Company, Limited, are reported to have provided plans and estimates for the
construction of a model school at Linghah. It seems that Wakf properties
have been taxed upto 5 per cent, for providing funds for education. In
Bushire, work was commenced on new offices for Education and Wakf
Departments.
Bushiee Municipality.
The Municipality continued to do good work throughout the year and
although hampered by lack of funds, did receive a monthly allotment of 2,600
rials. They were unable to do much in the way of street repairs, but a staff
of 70 persons were employed on sanitation. There was some attempt made for
looking after the poor and eight beds for in-patients were provided in a local
infirmary, for which a doctor gave his services free. A small asylum for luna
tics and an isolation house for lepers were opened. The Municipality raised a
subscription amounting to an equivalent of £150 and purchased a plot of land
for a new cemetery outside the town. The old cemetery was turned into a
sport club. To augment the monthly income, food-stuffs were taxed, in some
cases it is stated as much as 10 per cent.
SECTION 4.
ARMY.
In March, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Zandieh, Officer Commanding the
Fars Division, visited Bushire on inspection.
The recruiting bureau re-opened with its usual members, the Governor
as President, a Doctor from the Military Department, and one from the Iranian
. a aval Department, the Imam-i-Jumah, two local merchants, and the Head of