'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎260r] (522/862)

THE CONSTITUTION 395
respond very closely to the three sanjaqs of the same names which
formed the Turkish vilayet of Basra. Historical and geographical
reasons have combined to preserve the ancient arrangements.
Municipalities
Under the Turkish regime a municipality {baladiya) was estab
lished in every town or village of any size. Nominally they existed to
provide sanitation, policing, and lighting; actually to furnish salaries
to the leading man of the town and his office staff, and to defray the
expense of entertaining officials on tour. On the entry of the British
the larger municipalities were placed in the charge of Political Officers,
who had the assistance of informal councils which later developed into
municipal councils. In the smaller centres municipal affairs were left
for the most part in the hands of the inhabitants. Although at first
grants had to be made from government funds, the municipalities
soon became self-supporting and under the guidance of government
officers developments were shown in a number of directions. Early
in the course of the mandatory period elections of councils were
introduced, one of the elected members being appointed mayor or
rais baladiya by the mutasarrif (in Baghdad by the Minister of the
Interior).
In 1920 there were 73 municipalities; by 1930 they had increased
to 104. At the end of 1940 there were 118. Most of them are, how
ever, very small towns (p. 356). Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, and Kirkuk
were and are the principal municipalities, the head of the first named
enjoying the dignity and title of Lord Mayor or Amin al Asima.
Elections are in accordance with the primary and secondary system
(p. 391) but based on universal manhood suffrage, and despite the
appearance of freedom of choice are largely influenced from govern
ment centres, although the ballot is supposed to be secret. Provision
is made for the representation of minority communities, provided
that they comprise at least 5 per cent, of the population. The council
prepares its own budget, is responsible for sanitation, street lighting,
water-supply and the maintenance of roads and bridges within muni
cipal limits, poor relief, pauper burial, health, and other public
services. But the mutasarrif has general control, and must approve
normal municipal expenditure, while larger expenses need ministerial
sanction. The sources of revenue cover a wide range—road taxes,
river-craft licences, bridge and ferry tolls, building-permit fees, dog
tax, advertisement tax, trade-licence fees, slaughter-house tax, lottery
tax, &c.