'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎151v] (307/470)

paid on account of land revenue and Rs. 2,000j^j— on account of house tax.
Remission of land revenue was applied for in three cases. This was not granted.
(o) Cost of Management. —The Court of Wards’ office and establishment lived
on the charity of the Law Courts up to 1st of April 1918. It now stands on its
own feet. 5 per cent. Government levy, amounting to Rs. 4,410/-, was collected
for the year 1917 from the net incomes of the estates under management.
(p) Maintenance and Education of Wards. —The total amount under this head
was Rs. 19,259/5/- as against Rs. 10,577/- spent in the previous year. There are
30 families receiving maintenance of Rs. 1,572/- every month. There are 81 wards
in all. Of these, 31 males and 18 females are of schoolgoing age. There were
11 male wards at school at the beginning of the year, and 11 more were sent during
the year 1918. Total number of wards attending school came to 22 at the close of
the "year. In the case of female wards of schoolgoing age, action is confined to
advising the guardians to provide for their religious education.
(q) Education of Wards. —The effective control of the wards presents the greatest
difficulty. Relatives and guardians are generally indifferent to the education of
wards. The stoppage and reduction of maintenance allowances was used as a
lever to make them send the ivards to school, and maintenance allowances were in
some cases paid only on the production of a letter from headmasters saying that the
wards had been admitted into school and were regular in attendance.
The opening of Government schools at Basrah and ‘Ashar has made it easy
for several of the young boys to attend the school. The school at Bait Wali was
too far for young children of tender age. The introduction of religious education
into Government Schools is looked upon with much favour by the Mohammedan
population. Three students were consequently withdrawn from the American
Mission school and sent to Government primary schools. There are only four
boys at the American Mission, three of whom are boarders and one is studying in
the secondary department. There are two wards studying at the Cathedral high
school, Fort Bombay, and their conduct and progress are reported to be excellent.
Considerable difficulty was felt in keeping three young wards of Khalid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
al ‘Ami’s estate at school. They came from Zubair and were in the habit of running
away to the place, one by one, so that the office peons had sometimes to be employed
to fetch them. This difficulty was overcome by the appointment of an old slave
of the family as their muhafidh. They are now behaving well.
(r) Training of Wards in Trade. —Wards of grown-up age are assisted in acquiring
experience of some profession. One ward, coming from Salih Effendi Khaiyal’s estate,
has been advanced Rs. 1,000/- to open a shop. An apprenticeship was obtained for
another ward of ‘Abdul Wahid’s estate in the military mechanical shops. He is
now learning the work of a motor-boat driver and receives Rs. 45/- per month.
Government service has been obtained for four wards in the Police Department
during the year under report.
(s) Payments of Debts and existing Liabilities. —Out of a total of 55 estates,
43 are entirely free from debt. The number of encumbered estates was 12 at the
close of the year. 28 claims, amounting to Rs. 76,264/-, were received against the
' estates under the management of the Court of Wards during the year. These were
minutely examined and 19 of them, amounting to Rs. 40,642/7/6, were proved to be
valid and accepted. Rs. 11,14//— have been paid in satisfaction of nine claims out
of the current incomes of the estates. It is open to all claimants to institute suits
against the Court of Wards when a claim has been refused, but none has done so,
so far.
(t) Death Reports. A total number of 83 death reports were received during
the year. The prevalence of influenza brought in a very large number of death
reports in the months of October and November. On the receipt of a report, a
local inquiry was immediately made and report submitted to the Political Officer.
The anxiety of the Government to protect the rights of the orphans and disabled
persons has thus been thoroughly impressed upon the minds of the public. It is
not seldom that administrators and executors of wills play havoc with their charge,
while wills are sometimes forged by greedy relatives. The reputation and character
o! the \\ asi were, therefore, always inquired into and in doubtful cases they were
required to apply to the District Court for probate of will. These local inquiries