'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎226r] (456/470)

from fences for seUing tumbak,” from fishing licences, from‘araq, stamps, and
T a ^’ mu S * } im ^ e ^ ls ^ s m the Zab. Araq is brewed considerably among the Kirkuk
Jews, ibe stamps tax is not now being levied. The salt mines worked from Kirkuk
were three—that of iuz Khormatu, of Kom, and of the Jabal Hamrin. Prom now
onwards only the last named is likely to be run from Kirkuk, and that is too far
0 , ™ a he any system but an iltizam desirable. The Tuz pans are run from Kifri,
a, ad that ot Kom by Sulaimaniyah. In the Kirkuk office a portion of the Public Debt
stall is now working as Miscellaneous Revenues Department. The Accounts can at
any moment be detached from General Kevenues in favour of any adiustment that
may be made.
(e) Customs: (1) Regie. The Regie staff and their activities have been kept
on here, the latter modified as the tobacco-growing areas have passed into the occupied
territory. Generally speaking, the Regie pass, indicating that tobacco has been
through the warehouse and has paid or undertakes to pay its dues, is honoured,
and absolves from all further demands. With no pass, a consignment of tobacco is
considered as smuggled. It has not been thought well to retain preventive service,
therefore importation must he by specified routes and by day, or otherwise an intention
to smuggle is assumed. Convoys caught entering the customs’ line—which is that
of Kifri, Kirkuk, Altun Keupri—with a Regie pass, but at illegal times and places, are
punished by double collection of duty; while if they are so caught without a pass
confiscation follows. The duties of Regie officials at Kirkuk were to prevent
smuggling and to issue licences. They are now expanded to include the registration
of merchandise passing outside the customs line (whether dutiable articles or not),
the keeping of trade records—somewhat inexact—of incoming convoys from
Baghdad, &c., and the control of customs.
(b) Customs is leviable on articles from or proceeding to Persia or other foreign
countries. The arrangements are doubtless being fully reported on by the department
concerned. Here the trade with Persia is completely dormant—owing to the season,
the scarceness of transport, and the brisk trade available nearer home.
3. Irrigation. This subject has not arisen in the two months of our occupation
of Kirkuk, and will probably never do so on an important scale. The bulk of the
winter grains, famed for their excellence, do with the rain alone, and the summer
channelling of the water is, though thorough and ingenious, on a small scale. The
nahiyah of Malhah, where the flat and level banks of the Lesser Zab allow for
upwards of 200 Avaterlifts. is the most promising field for a scheme of canals.
Traces are visible of at least three former canals running out of the Zab into the
Huwaijah, and the area capable of being watered directly from such canals is at least
300 square miles. But in the present absence of cultivators, machines, and labour,
tnis work is not immediately feasible, and its place is likely to be taken by pumping
engines, which landowners of this area are eagerly demanding.
4. Agricultural. —The whole district, except the west flank of unsettled Arabs,
is agricultural. War conditions, however, and very genuine oppression from the
Turkish powers, have sadly reduced the vitality of a famous producing area. The
grain of Shuan and Malhah is only less copious than that of the Dizai. To treat
leniently the small summer crops, and do all possible to augment winter sowings, has
been the policy clearly indicated here. At the outset it was decided, after consulting
notables and landowners, that the issue of agricultural loans on a generous scale
would be well repaid. Accordingly, Rs. 160,000 have been distributed in this district,
without conditions, except that a specified number of ploughs (one to every Rs. 170
of the loan) must he sown. Bailing compliance with this, or failing repayment by-
August 31st 1920, interest will be charged; otherwise none. To issue seed on loan
has not been possible ,• it is available, excellent and fairly cheap for all who care to
fetch it from the Dizai. Plough animals are scarce, and efforts to find a good source of
supply have failed ; 600 Indian bulls are on order. The weather hitherto has been
extraordinarily favourable, a blend of sun and rain having brought on all things sown
abnormally early. Enthusiasts for the new Government deny that this is accidental.
Sowings up to date—and they are practically complete—show a preponderance of
barley over wheat as 4 to 1. The gross yield in both together in the harvest of
1919 will perhaps lie between 8 and 15 thousand tons.
5. Municipalities.— (a) Kirkuk .—The town of Kirkuk consists of some 5,000
houses, of which 3,200 are now occupied. The population at our occupation was