'Administration Reports 1920-1924' [‎153v] (311/412)

58
ANNUAL KEPOET OF TH©
inhabitants of Dizful and Slmshtar appear to have adapted themselves to the
new regime without serious ditiicuity.
Anglo-Persian Oil Company. —The Fields Manager writes as follows :
" Production—The demand for crude oil has been greater than ever
with the result mat me tlirougnput nas been increased auriiig the year, and
the boosting stauons, wnicn couid naraiy nave copied wiin tne increased
quantity before the recent expansions and improvements were completed
have be6n equal to all demands made upon tnem.
Accommodation. —The following additional buildings have been com
pleted during the year ,
40 Bungalows.
120 Clerks' quarters. .
144 Artizans' quarters.
Thus conditions in the way of accommodation have been much improved.
In addition new workshops and stores buildings at Eaiihead have been con
structed and are now in commission.
T v Company.'s Ahwaz offices nave been transferred to Khazaliyeh
which is about a mile from the town of Naseri, and the whole of the staff
are now domiciled in the. same area. Obvious advantages accrue from this
centralization in a district some distance removed from the native quarters
and the bazaar. Primarily more healthy conditions obtain and the control
of sanitation is much more easily effosted. Secondly, accommodation is
better and not so limited, and at the same time it is far more convenient
for the Company's employees to be housed nearer the scene of their labours.
Labour. —The Company continues its policy of replacing Indian labour
as far as possible by local labour. All unskilled labour and, an increasing
amount of skilled labour is at present performed by the natives of the
country.
The system of training Artkans in our own workshops continues to
give-' fairly satisfactory results. An average number of 224 apprentices^
have been undergoing training at the same time during the present year,
but latterly (i.e., during the last quarter of the year) the number has in^
creased to close on 300. About 10 per mouth are successful in passing the
trade test and are then put on Grade I terms of Artizans. As their expe
rience increases opportunities are afforded them for passing higher tests
and thereby improving their grade.
Transport. —A 2 , -—B'' Gauge Light Railway was completed during May
of last year running from Dar-i-Khazineh to Maidan-i-Naftun, and has im-
• proved considerably the transport facilities in the area. The length of the
line is 38^ miles and the average tonnage carried per month stands at about
2,000. This reduces to a negligible quantity tlie goods for transport by
motor and animal vehicles on this section of the road." .
Foreign Interests.-—The French Archceological Mission continued its opera
tions at Shush from January to March 1923. During tho last weeks of their
stay the members of the Mission fohncl themselves sandwiched between the-
Arab forces of the Sheikh of Mohamnierah and some rebel tribesmen of the
Amleh Lurs and for a few days were virtually prisoners m their chateau which
had been selected as an asylum by the rebel chief tain.
A Russian Consular Agent nailed M. Batmanoff reached Ahwaz on the
23rd November. He knows no language but Russian and is consequently un
approachable except through his interpreter Mirza Ibrahim Nami of Tabnz who
is an ardent Socialist and speaks Russian, French and German fluently.-Fonnal
calls were exchanged between the Consular Agent and His Britannic Majesty s
Consul but so far no other' intercourse has taken place.
Tjimrh Road —The average rate of mule hire from Ahwaz to Isfahan was
. «W-"f»s
The Mesopotamia Persia Corporation forwarded onlv 2031 Cwt. m 19^,
compared with 3271! Cwt. in 1922, and 51254 Cwt. in 1921.
No robberies of British goods were reported on this road during the year.
(Sd.) E. 0. B. PEEL,
Eia Br