'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1937' [‎8v] (16/72)

6
Director of Customs, Aqai Zelli, in August, was the prelude to the introduction
of a rationalized system of marking and storing cargo, and the promulgation
of a new tariff of landing charges. A second electric crane is also under
construction and the wharves are in process of extension. Finally the revenue
and customs departments, previously under one direction, are to be separated.
From these signs of extension and reorganization, it is hard to confirm the
prevalent opinion that the importance of Bushire is declining with its import
ance as a trading centre. Hitherto Bandar Shahpour has not contributed to
this end ; it will be interesting to see what will be the condition of Bushire
port in a few years time, when and if proper port and railway facilities are
provided in Bandar Shahpour. At present the jetty in the middle of marshes
is the bogy of ships masters, and, where possible, cargo has been discharged
for preference in Bushire or elsewhere.
A survey of municipal and public works completed and in hand in 1937
shows : the opening of a new Iranian wireless station which in December was
about to take over the duties of Messrs. Cable and Wireless ; the erection of a
beacon for aerial and maritime navigation (the light has, however, rarely been
seen) ; the placing in United Kingdom of a contract for a new electric light
plant; progress in the construction of large Military barracks ; and desultory
work on the roads. Three bread shops were also opened by the municipality
with the object of curtailing fluctuations of price and possible exploitation by
the bakers.
Industry. —The spinning section of a new combined cotton mill—a private
enterprise with a capital of Rials three million subscribed by merchants here
and in Shiraz—was at the end of the year almost complete. Difficulty in
obtaining first exchange against imports of machinery from England, and
later raw cotton for spinning, has delayed work. The mill employs 200
spinning operatives at daily wages of Rials 2^—5 ; overlookers receive rials
350—450 monthly. It is intended to work two 12-hour shifts. At the time
of writing 10 count yarn of good quality is being produced. The plant has
been erected and the workers trained by British technicians.
Agriculture. —Of the two main crops, wheat and barley grown in the
Bushire, Dashti and Dashtistan districts, wheat come under Government
monopoly in autumn 1936. A year's working of the monopoly shows its
effect to be generally oppressive to the producer, though it is mitigated by the
advantage, both to him and to the consumer, of a level price. The prices
fixed in 1936 and ruling throughout 1937 were Rials 130 per 315 kilos 1st
class. Rials 120 for 2nd, Rials 110 for third and Rials 100 for 4th class wheat.
The price is not of itself unsatisfactory, comparing favourably with the wide
fluctuation, from Rials 60—250 per kharvar, of barley ; but the method of
collection and payment are the subject of universal complaint among growers.
The grower himself must deliver his wheat to the monopoly, whose agents
determine the quality and value,—a system of one-sided bargaining of obvious
weakness. Only a proportion of the value is paid immediately and final settle
ment is effected" often after a lapse of months. Early in the season export of
wheat was free, but in February stocks in the hands of merchants and growers
were taken up by the Revenue Department for sale to the Government and
later taken over by the Customs. Considerable quantities of wheat have been
exported to Europe to meet Government import commitments, and some doubt
has been occasioned of the adequacy of remaining stocks. As necessity
arises wheat is shipped between Bushire and Khorramshahr. The export of
barley has hitherto remained free to merchants who have taken advantage of
this to some extent.
Little interest has been shown by the State in the producing as opposed to
the marketing side of agriculture. There is no local branch of the Agricultural
Bank and farmers are financed in part by merchants who have no better
employment for their capital. A certain amount of cotton S3ed has been
distributed, but no real attempt has been made to encourage its introduction
as a crop. Tobacco is grown as a subsidiary crop in the Borazjan area.
Prospects for the coming grain crop are satisfactory. Much the same
area is now reported to be under cultivation as in 1936-37 when the harvest
was good.