'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎152r] (308/470)

■ “A . •
afford considerable opportunities of studying^ local conditions. For instance, it
was found that in most cases the lands were not registered in tapu.
(u) Applications for Superintendence .—There were 19 applications asking for
assumption of superintendence of estates during the year. Four of these were
sanctioned by the Senior Judicial Officer and two by the Political Officer, and 13
were refused. The number of applications submitted testifies to the appreciation
by the public of the advantage of management by the Court of Wards. Much
favourable comment has been made by the public on the assumption of the
superintendence of the estates of Haji Ibrahim al Zubair, Sion Nassim and Haji
‘All al Khafi. The first estate was saved from the hands of a young heir, who was
hurling it headlong into ruin. He was an enthusiastic visitor of theatres and
undesirable quarters and is now a useful member of society and an officer of police.
The major daughters in the estate have received their share for the first time. The
minor children, with their mother, who had suffered most, now receive a monthly
allowance. The second, named Sion Nassim, was addicted to excessive drinking,
and was starving his wife and young children. The wife made an application to
the Senior Judicial Officer for assumption of superintendence. Sion Nassim was
declared malign and the estate was handed over to the Court of Wards. Action
was taken to close all the public-houses to this man. He is now behaving better.
In the third estate, ‘Abdul Khudhair, the eldest son of the family, found himself in
full possession of a big landed property and a considerable amount of cash, shared
by a long line of children. He lost his head and was declared malign by the District
Court before much loss could be done to the estate. He was kept under medical
treatment and is now under training in the police lines. He is likely to become a
useful Government servant.
Much interest was excited bv a Beduin woman of Shuraifat tribe. She had >
married a Mallak of Hamdan and had a son by him. She had returned to her
tribe after the death of her husband and had taken the boy with her. The uncle of
the child was misappropriating the boy's share of income from the property. She
found her way to the Court of Wards and the estate was taken over with the sanction
of the Political Officer. She next applied for money. The estate was small and the
income hardly enough for the education of the ward. She was asked to leave the
boy at Basrah, so that he may be sent to school. She has disappeared with the
bov and has not been heard of since. The incomes are being collected and will be
handed over when the boy comes of age.
(v) Caution .—In making any further extension of the jurisdiction of the Court
of Wards, it will be advisable to proceed with caution in the light of experience
crained. The townsman is familiar with the work of the C ourt and welcomes its
interference. But it is a new thing to the country people. Phis was shown in
the difficultv experienced in dealing with fallahs Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. in the Nahiyah of Shatt-al- Arab,
which is a tribal area. They Were, however, handled with moderation and firmness
with good results.
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX A.
Land Revenue for the Year 1018-19.
Total demand for the year
Total demand plus arrears from last year
Recovered up to 10th December 1918 -
Balance - - '
Remission made, including properties of Shaikhs of Kuwait and Muhammarah, which are
exempt
Rs.
767,824
811,302
299,598
511,704
104,658
Balance to be recovered
407,046