'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎11r] (26/470)

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of the first instalment due to the Karkhiyah, and have also made restitution of sheep
looted.
The tribes settled in the tails of the Ruz, Mahrut, Khurasan and Khalis Canals
have all behaved well, as have also the ‘Ambuqiyah in the middle Khalis.
The only tribe that has given trouble is the ‘Azzah, who looted a few caravans
journeying between Dali ‘Abbas and Kifri during the latter end of the hot weather.
Shaikh Habib, of the Azzah, had to pa}^ a heavy fine for one of these robberies and
Chai Khanab was visited by Capt. McCormick,' A.P.O., Dali ‘Abbas, accompanied
by armoured cars. His successor, Capt. Lloyd, has also visited Chai Khanah, and,
as a consequence, the behaviour of the ‘Azzah improved towards the end of the year.
Shaikh Habib, the paramount Shaikh, has very little influence, but there
appears to be no person who is willing and able to take his place.
The Azzah and the ‘Ubaid from the West of the ‘Adhaim have a long-standing
feud, and the Azzah blame the ‘Ubaid for part of the robberies which occurred on
the Kifri road. It is hoped to arrange a meeting between the Shaikhs of the ‘Azzah
and the Ubaid from Samarra and Kirkuk early in 1919 in order to arrange a
settlement of their feud.
An attempt was made in the spring of the year to arrange a Fasl agreement
between the Azzah and the Jubur of the Dali ‘Abbas district, who have long
standing disagreements, which were made worse by the anarchy prevailing in the
year 1917. Several leading Shaikhs were called in as arbitrators; but the Jubur
refused to accept their decision and appealed to the Political Officer to decide
personally the questions between them and the ‘Azzah. The matter will be taken
up early in 1919.
In September, the Political Officer, Major Nalder, took representative Shaikhs
of this Division to Baghdad, to meet the G.O.C.-in-Chief. It is extremely regrettable
that Shaikh Ibrahim al Barghash of the Karkhiyah, who had been loyal to the
British since the occupation of Ba‘qubah in March 1917, died of cholera the day
after his arrival. He has been succeeded by his nephew, ‘Abdul Karim al
Barghash.
Another death was that of Shaikh ‘Adhab al Hindi of the small ‘Atbah section,
near Balad Ruz. He was succeeded by Majid al Hindi.
Among nomads who visited the Division were the Sayih section of the Shammar,
who passed through on the way to the Tigris below Baghdad. A section subsequently
returned and were camped for a time at the tail of the Mahrut and at Tall Tbarab,
near the Ruz Canal. They caused a certain amount of complaints of damage
to crops.
The condition of the people was poor in the early part of the year, but, with
the exception of the non-cultivating section of the'‘Azzah, was good after the
harvest. The harvest was a great improvement on that of 1917, and the demand
for labour for military works provided remunerative work for everyone.
Prices were high until the date of the armistice with Turkey. After which,
owing to the removal of trade restrictions, consequent on the abolition of the
blockade, prices came down with a rush. The price of barley fell from Rs. 350/-
to Rs. 225/- per ton.
2. Revenue.— (a) Land Revenue. — Land revenue is mainly derived from the
Government share of the summer and winter crops, of which the latter are the
most valuable.
Summer crops are rice and maize, with certain other crops, such as cotton and
sisamum, of minor importance.
i The winter crops are barley and wheat, with some minor grains, such as
hurtaman.
The greater part of the land in the district is Tapu, from which, in areas watered
by flow irrigation, Government receives a revenue of one-fifth. A large portion
of land is non-revenue paying Waqf, and two large estates, namely, the tail of the
Mahrut and the ‘Uthmaniyah, are Sanniyah and Miri. From both the Sanniyah
and Miri land, Government receives a revenue of one-third of the produce.
The Government share in areas watered by lift irrigation varies somewhat,
but is usually one tenth. Government also takes one tenth on crops which are
dependent on rain alone. Vegetables pay at the same rate as summer and winter
crops, ascending as they are watered by flow or lift irrigation. Shawati or vegetable
gardens grown on the banks left by the falling river, both in the Tigris and the
Diyalah, used to pay a fixed assessment, but during the year were treated for