'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎187r] (378/470)

5. Agmcu^ure.- (1) There is not much to report under this head.
2) An a gi‘ 1 cultural experimental farm has been started at Nasiriyah, and
should turn out a great success.
(3) agi ieulture is so closely connected with irrigation, nothing much can
be expec e until the new irrigation works are completed. In order to help
agriculture on and extend the area under cultivation, I would very strongly
advocate the purchase of mechanical drain diggers, of American pattern, capable
of cutting a channel of the following shape and dimensions :—
* —/tft ~
The D.I.O., Nasiriyah, has full specifications in his office, and is himself anxious
that six or seven of these machines should be in his charge for improvement of
local channels. Such channels or cuts if made on a proper system and under
supervision would among other things turn the whole area on the right bank of
the river between Nasiriyah and Suq and the railway line into a veritable garden
of Eden. The present wheat belt only goes inland for about 4 miles, beyond that
is a magnificent belt of arable land only wanting water channels taken out to it
to make it yield vast returns at once. The local population is sufficient in number
for the purpose, but has not the time, means or engineering skill to take out long
canals 7 or 8 miles from the river.
(4) A pleasing feature of local agriculture developments, for which credit is
entirely due to one "Abd al Amir, merchant of Nasiriyah, is the putting under
wheat and barley of the whole country surrounding Nasiriyah town. Up to date
this area has been an absolute desert, and whichever way one rode out of Nasiriyah
one had to cross 3 miles of bare salty tract. This now has all been altered, and
the spring should show Nasiriyah surrounded by a fine belt of waving corn. The
watering of the newly-sown land depends on two oil engines and pumps situated
upstream of the town.
(5) Speaking generally, 1919 should show a greater yield in wheat and barley
than in 1918. Owing to early rains much more land has been put under cultivation
than in 1918. All subdivisional officers have issued out either loans in grain or
money to help to develop agriculture in their areas. (See Appendices M., N., 0., P.)
6. Municipalities. —The municipalities of Shatrah, QaTat Sikar, Suq al
Shuyukh are all in flourishing condition; that of Nasiriyah, I regret to say, not
doing so well. The reason has been fully dealt with in Nasiriyah Municipal Officer’s
Report to Civil Commissioner, No. 1887/25, dated 13th November 1918. If the
suggestions made in that letter are approved and certain sums of money are recredited
to the municipality which would appear to have wrongly been taken away, then
the financial condition of the municipality will be put on a sound basis again.
Recent Improvements .—Three small new municipalities have been recently
started in the towns of Suwaij Shijar, Karracli, and Suwaij Khafajah; the first
two in QaTat Sikar district and the third in Shatrah district.
Rushdi Effendi, late Arab assistant to Political Officer, and an'Arab officer,
has recently been put in charge of the Nasiriyah municipality with the rank of
Deputy Assistant Political Officer. This is a distinct innovation, for an Arab so
far has not yet been given the charge of such an important responsibility in the
Nasiriyah Division. I am pleased to report that so far the experiment has been
completely justified. Rushdi Effendi is working with commendable zeal, and
is popular wherever he goes. Ihe appointment is looked upon with favour by
the Arab population, as being both flattering to themselves and as a foretaste of
future developments to come. Nothing will popularise our administration so much
as the knowledge that important and lucrative posts are open to Arabs of good
birth education, and character. I, of course, voice the popular feeling in the
Muntafiq. For fuller details on the working of municipalities, see Appendices
M., N., 0., P.
7. Judicial.— The “ Tribal Criminal and Civil Disputes ” Regulation continues
to be of the greatest value. It is working remarkably well, and I put down the
astonishing diminution of crime among the tribes to this excellent and wise Regulation.
The tribes are widely content and pleased wdth a system which allows them to settle
cases before the Political Officer more or less according to their own tribal laws