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Indian engine-drivers should be engaged, either through the Anglo-Iranian
Oil Company or through Iranian Consuls in India. For some time there
has been a serious shortage of capable drivers on the southern line. In the
summer of 1937 an attempt was made to recruit drivers in Iraq, but only one
or two were engaged.
2. Mr. Gardener’s report has been confirmed by the Tehran Representa
tive of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, who was approached orally by the
Ministry of Finance on the subject about a month ago. Mr. Rice informed
the Ministry of Finance that his Company would be ready to help in putting
suitable candidates in touch with Iranian Consuls in India, but that they could
not engage candidates themselves. The Iranian Government’s desire to
engage Indian drivers is very welcome to the Company, who are experienc
ing serious difficulties at present owing to the shortage of skilled Iranian la
bour, while they are obliged under their Concession progressively to eliminate
non-Iranian labour. That the Iranian authorities should require foreign en
gine-drivers obviously strengthens the Company’s plea that they must be
allowed to recruit skilled labour abroad.
3. Mr. Gardener has, however, pointed out that there is a danger that
Indian drivers recruited by the Iranian Government may find their conditions
of employment far from satisfactory. There is in the first place the exchange
difficulty. Even with contracts providing for payment of a part of
their salary in foreign exchange, drivers might well find difficulty under exist
ing conditions, in remitting funds to India. Mr. Gardener also states that
drivers on the southern line are subject to constant blackmailing by the re
pair-shop staff, because of a system of fines imposed when repairs to engines
are required through the alleged fault of the driver. Unless a driver bribes
the repair-shop staff sufficiently, he is repeatedly fined for the repairs required
for his engine. (The Tehran Representatve of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company,
who are usually very well informed on all that goes on in their area, was not
able to confirm the existence of these conditions on the southern line). It
is also said that Iranian engine-drivers receive wages of no more than Rials
200 a month (a motor-driver may earn as much as Rials 1,000 a month), and
that as a result almost everything detachable has disappeared from the
engines on the southern line. Mr. Gardener states that most of the Parsee
drivers originally engaged have left on account of the bad conditions, and
that the remainder are either men of bad reputation or are prevented from
leaving by the fact that they cannot obtain the arrears of pay due to them.
4. In these circumstances Mr. Gardener has suggested that it is not ad
visable that Indian drivers should accept the offer of employment from the
Iranian Government. I do not consider that it is necessary or desirable to
take any active steps to discourage Indian drivers from coming to Iran.
Such action would certainly be resented by the Iranian Government. But
I think that the Protector of Emigrants should be aware that conditions of
service on the Iranian railways are not good, and that in particular great
care should be taken to ensure that all contracts include a clause providing
for payment of half the salary in rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , transferable to India.
5. I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s Principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and to His Majesty's Consul at
Ahwaz.
(35)
Endorsement by the External Affairs Department, No. D. 1556-
N/38, dated Simla, the 28th May 1938.
A copy of the undermentioned paper is forwarded to the Department of
Education, Health and Lands, for information and such action as may be con
sidered necessary.
Letter from His Majesty’s Charge d’Affairs, Tehran, No. 63 [S. No. (34)],
dated the 8th April 1938.