'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎149r] (304/396)

FOE THE TEAR igig. 63
season, and under favourable conditions as much as 60 tor^ i« ^
way. Small quantities of vegetables are brought info k T . f* m ihlS
ssssas °"
Municipalities. —These do not exist in Kuwait
Judicial. Justice is administered by the Sbaikb, in the most arbit-arv
way, and his word is Jaw. diuiuaiy
The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. is not vested ^ ith judicial powers and ompsj rvf R if'
subjects are therefore settled by him informally, and those between British
subjects and Arabs are referred to the Shaikh for equitable settlement
There has been very little serious crime in the town during the year.
Except for the day ^nd night school conducted by the Rev. Mr. Calverlev
Education. ot the^ An^ican Mission there are no
. ,1 -ry- . a , u. , , educational facilities outside those offered
m the Koranic Schools which Jiere as m other places only teacha sutBciencv
of Arabic to enable the pupils to read the Koran. u.uoiency
The Mission School did a lot of excellent work durine the year and -reat
credit is dne to the Key. Mr. Calyerley who, in spite of being left without
a teacher, due to the mducements of high pay offered by the Uoyernment in
Iraq, succeeded in bringing the ayerage daily attendance to 16 a much higher
figure than in former years—and worked very hard himself in the schools. a
Medical and Sanitation. —The Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. dispensary closed on 1st Sep-
Medical. tember, on Honorary Lieutenant C. C.
f-ii. --j Kel] y> I S.M.D., who had been in charge
of it, being posted to India for auty. ^
From January 1st to August 31st, 1,714 out-patients were treated. There
were loo operations and 25 vaccinations.
For the work done by the American Mission Hospital, see Appendix XL
No sanitary arrangements exist in Kuwait, and there is no idea of
Sanitation, systematic conservancy. Those who live
f , t • t _ i i „ near the sea-shore, use it for the purpose
of nature, the inhabitants of the outskirts use the open desert and thote of
he central quarters their house tops, or pits dug on the road-side or, in the
ess frequented quarters, the road-side itself. Here refuse matter is allowed
to accumulate.
There are no scavengers but the principal streets are generally fairly
oufthejreS SWe ' 31,eeze ^ ows intermittingly almost through-
The Shaikh does not keep special _ men for Police work but uses his
Police. retainers for this purpose whenever re-
nhnnf /m • i, , quired. In addition to these there are
,, i night guards, mostly Baluchis from the Mekran coast, for watching
the shops at night. 0
Shubanahs.—Nil.
f , Is expensive in Kuwait. The following are the present rates
daily wages for the different handicraft
Rs. Rs. a. p.
Head mason , , t t .10
Assistant mason
Master carpenter
Assistant carpenter
Nail driver
Coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
5
10
5 to 6 0 0
3 to 4 0 0
2 to 2 8 0
The above rates were 50 to 75 per cent, lower before the war.
hh ^ ere are a b ou t 300 Persian coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. in Kuwait and about 200 Kejdi
and Kp g' ^ 0me ^ labourers were sent to the Labour Corps, Basrah, in 1917