'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1938' [‎9v] (18/60)

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Monopoly 28 per cent, during the year under review. Since March 1938 the
barter agreement with Germany has been cancelled and this of course caused
a very great advance in the prices of German goods still arriving to complete
orders placed before the cancellation.
It will be seen from the foregoing that Bushire has just about held its own
during the year. There has been some slight increase in exports. It is said
that this is because export via Russia has ceased. Most of the exports, such
as dried fruits, gum Arabic, cotton, goat-hair and herbs, have been shipped
to Germany. The ever-present fear in Bushire is that its remaining trade will
go to Bandar Shahpur. And it seems to be quite obvious that this is bound
to take place sooner or later. At the moment however, it is said locally that
this will not happen for the next two or three years owing to the lack at
Bandar Shahpur of jetty facilities. This seems, however, to be very much a
case of the wish being father to the thought.
In March 1938, a second large crane was erected in the Customs but did
not come into operation until November when an extension to the quay was
opened. Unfortunately however, the new quay has proved far from satis
factory An East India Company trading post. , since the sea wall has a large number of beam-ends and store-blocks
protruding from it, some, it seems, deliberately as part of the design, and some
accidentally from faulty construction. In consequence, when the sea is in
any way rough, the lighters find themselves unable without damage to lie
close to the wall. In fact only a short time ago a lighter smashed its side
against one of these stone out-crops and sank.
The new Governor who took office in August has to a certain extent tried
to improve the town. He has repaired the sea-front and by planting trees on
it is trying to make it a pleasant walk. He is also taking some interest in the
bazaar and is doing his best to see that the shops are kept clean. The wireless
equipment and telephone exchange formerly belonging to His Majesty's
Government were handed over during the year to the Iranian authorities.
The beacon at the aerodrome which month by month has been reported to be
ready for work has, for reasons unknown, still not come into use.
In June an office of the Registration Department for lands and bonds was
opened. The complaint is general that local property, in view of the
present condition of trade, has been grossly over-valued. There appears to
be much substance in this complaint, but appeal by the local landlords to
higher authorities has had no effect.
Industry. —There has been no further development of industry, either by
the Government or private individuals since last year. The spinning section
of the local mill came into operation in January this year. It produces 10-
counts and 20-counts yarn. A master-weaver was engaged from the United
Kingdom. He arrived in June and some cloths (unbleached shirtings and
coloured prints) were put on the market in September. The prices charged
however, were too high for local acceptance. The proprietor of the mill,
Mr. Agar, held a meeting of shareholders at Shiraz in September. A managing
committee of 7 merchants mostly from Bushire was appointed. The distri
bution of the profits agreed upon was 5 per cent, for Mr. Agar as proprietor,
4 per cent, to be divided among the members of the committee and 1 per cent,
for the auditor, the remainder of course to the shareholders. The company
now goes under the name of" Etimadieh Spinning and Weaving Mill Limited ,r
(Sherkate Sehami Risandegi Va Bafandegi Etimad).
The question of electric light in the town joins up with that of the mill.
In an endeavour to improve the supply for the town the Governor held a
meeting of influential merchants and other local people of standing in
September. He got the proprietor of the mill to agree to supply 24 hours
current as well as ice to the town. For this it was agreed to raise a subscrip
tion of Rials 1,000,000, which was to be included in the capital of the mill.
The proprietor further asked that foreign exchange to the tune of £5,000
should be sold to him by the Government in order to buy extra parts for the
necessary machinery. This £5,000 did not materialise and the proprietor
went to Tehran to see if he could get it. He returned having been given the
amount not in sterling but in marks.