Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎20r] (40/802)

(2) Passenger cars :—
11 Chrysler and Dodge cars.
100 Ford cars.
4 Pontiac cars.
j** 367. The Dodge Company, through its Syrian agents, is said to be about
to open a service station here, with the intention of making a serious attack on
this market; fifty-nine Dodge units are said to have been imported this season, and
the total is expected to reach 100. The local representative of the Sharqieh
Company has explained that that company receives only 25 per cent, in cash for
the Ford units which it imports for the Transport Company. The balance is
recovered gradually by the receipt of a half-share of the pilgrim dues collected
by the Government.
368. Rumours have been heard that the Saudi Arabian Government
contemplates introducing new legislation concerning the ownership of land. A
fixed land revenue is to be collected, and foreigners are to be allowed to own land
after all. But nothing tangible has been reported hitherto.
369. The usual annual appeal to the Moslems of the world to come to the
next pilgrimage was published in the Umm-ul-Qura on the 3rd September. It
is in the form of a circular from the Mecca office of Haj propaganda. The Hejaz
is peaceful and secure; multitudes of new cars and lorries have been imported
for the pilgrims’ benefit, and no pilgrim should miss this opportunity to combine
religious duty with touristic pleasure.
370. A report from Mecca says that the road between the two hills Safa and
Marawah, begun about a year ago, is still under construction, the expenses being
provided by a rich Egyptian.
371. The poor house of Mehdi Bey, turned last year into an orphanage, is
still doing useful work, the boys being educated and taught trades. Non-Saudis,
who were originally excluded, are now admitted, provided they are residents of
this country.
372. The Saut-ul-Hejaz publishes a notice saying that the roads between
Mecca, Jedda and Medina are to be paved during this year for the comfort of
travellers and pilgrims.
373. Seyyid Ghulam Muhiuddin-al-Afghani-al-Ghaznavi is reported to
have arrived in Jedda about the middle of August in connexion with arrangements
for the coming pilgrimage.
374. The Umm-ul-Qura of the 17th September, in the course of a lengthy
series of propaganda articles designed to attract pilgrims, says that charges for
letters, both ordinary and registered, will be lower this year than last; money
orders for abroad will also be charged 1 per cent, instead of last year’s rate of
1^ per cent. Details of the postal reductions are as follows :—
Ordinary letters :—
1937.
1938.
Piastres
miri.
Addressed abroad, each 20 grammes ...
H
3
Addressed to internal addressee
If
1
2
Registered letters abroad
3i
3
375. The kaimakam’s attempt at the degoatisation of Jedda has failed.
The goat-owners have won. They presented to the kaimakam a petition pointing
that, if the goats were not allowed on the streets, they must be kept in the owners’
houses, which would mean that the lower stories of most of the houses of Jedda
would be polluted. The innovator saw the logic of this argument, and withdrew
his order.
376. Dogs, however, are in a different category. They are unclean anyhow,
and the local police have had some rifle practice at the pariahs of Jedda with good
results. Although the local breed of fox-head pi-dog is not extinct, 312 are said
to have been shot recently.
377. Mr. H. J. Wratislaw arrived on the 19th September to resume charge
of the affairs of the Petroleum Development (Western Arabia) Company at Jedda,
taking over from Mr. Ball, who left on leave a few days later.