'Adminisistration [Administration] Reports 1931-1935' [‎147v] (294/416)

Telegraphic representations bv certain Bahais at Sirjan were made to
Tehran in Mav, complaining against the anti-Bahai utterances of one Sultan-ul-
Wa’izin a preacher from Kermanshah. The Ministry of Interior, while making
it clear in their reply that the State did not recognise any Bahai community in
th e country referred the matter to the Governor-General, who proceeded to
Siri'an with’the Chief of Police, and, after going into the case, sent the preacher
to Kerman, having taken a written guarantee from him not to preach again
until final orders about him were received from Tehran.
According to orders received from Tehran at the latter part of November,
the meeting place of the Bahais in Kerman, called Mashriq-ul-Azkar, was closed
by the Police authorities and the leader of the community made to sign an under
taking not to attend any meetings without informing the Police. This action on
behalf of the Government is said to have been due to the Bahais in Tehran and
Yezd insisting on the observance of Bahai holidays in their schools, contrary to
the regulations laid down by the Ministry of Education, which resulted in the
closing down of the schools concerned.
The Governor-General celebrated the anniversary of the Shah’s Birthday
mil the 24th March by holding a reception at the Government House in the after
noon, invitations to which were, as in the previous year, issued by the Kerman
Municipality.
The reception ended at about 8 p.m. after the usual tire-works, and was
followed by a ‘ joy caravan ’ procession, conducted for the first time in Kerman
under the auspices of the local Military authorities. Illuminations were also
held at the Military and Amnieh headquarters as well as in the main bazaars,
where, in many cases, the shop-keepers were forced by the Police to increase the
number of their lamps. A private theatrical show, called ‘ Sarbaz-i-Vatan ’ (A
Soldier of the Fatherland) was given on the same night by the Military autho
rities, to which only a selected few were invited.
The Millenary Birthday anniversary of the Poet Firdausi was celebrated
in Kerman throughout the week ending with the 12th October. There were
illuminations in the town and receptions given by the merchants, the Parsi com
munity, the Military Department and the Municipality, the latter including a
display of tire-works. The Military gave a theatrical performance, depicting
the Poet’s life. His Majesty’s Consul received invitations to, and was present
at, all the functions.
Apropos of the Shah’s return from Turkey, a Garden party was given by
the Governor General, on behalf of the Municipality, on the 6th of July, followed
by illuminations in the bazaars on the 7th and 8th.
The four local weekly newspapers are now being published more regularly
than before, as they have made contract- with the Registration Office to print
Press notices in connection with the registra-
‘ " of property in the province. A new
monthly periodical, called the ‘ Aftab-i-Snarq ’ (Sun of the East), was started
early in the year by Majd-i-Nawabi, a preacher from Bam. With the excep
tion of one or two reminiscences in connection with the late South Persia Rifles,
no anti-British articles appeared in the press during the year.
Hashimi, the editor of the local weekly paper ‘ Bidari ’ which was at one
time inclined to he anti-British, has lately adopted a decidedly friendly attitude,
lie is at present President of the Kerman Municipal Council and, being a noted
Arabic Scholar, has been engaged as a part-time teacher in the C. M. S. Boys’
School, where one of his brothers is a permanent teacher.
11. Health and General Welfare. —Dr. Suhrab Barkhurdarian remained in
cnaige ot the Health Services in the province throughout the year.
Some type of 1 F lue in an epidemic form, raged in Kerman in the early part
ot the year, causing a number of deaths.
ihoie vas another small epidemic of Tvphus in the summer, mainlv con-
tmed to the Jewish quarter and one other part of the town, in many houses 4 or
o peisons^ being ill at the same time. Measles and Whooping cough scourged
ie own m the spimg and summer, and Typhoid is always endemic in Kerman.
w .T he to \ n t 1111 ful] ? f tuberculosis of every varietv. The Tubercular
aid m each of the two Mission Hospitals is always full, mainlv of bone cases,
itiese patients receive daily sun-treatment all the year round, which, combined