Coll 29/101 'Khorramshahr: clerical staff' [‎36r] (72/129)

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_._ „ Copy of a lattar No. 194-64/222, dated the 4th Feby.,
1943 from the Hon'ble the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. inthS Persian-
Gulf to the Secretary to the Government of India in the External
Affairs Department, New Delhi.
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,, ,, IJiave the honour to addreaa the Government of India on
tne subject of the scales of pay of the first interpreters at
Muscat, Kuwait and Khorramshanr.
These are at present three posts in the ordinary grade
of the vernacular cadre, viz*, fis* 120-6-240, plus Rs* 50A in
allowMces, and it is proposed that they should be raised to the
specialgrade of Rs. 250-10-300. The allowances may, however, be
lelt at the ordinary vernacular cadre rate, instead of raising
them to correspond with those paid to the Head Munshis A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. at
Bus hi re Cfc. 90/-, plus Customs Compensation Allowance of Rs. 25/-)
or Banram (Rs. 65/-).
5,*. The reason why it has become necessary to put forward
tms proposal is that the value of good interpreters has been
iorced up by the prices which Oil Cojipanies and other concerns
are prepared to pay for them, with the result that instead of
getting one highest quality of men in point of intelligence,
trustworthiness and personal character, the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. is now
e^sewhe 9 a ttract those who are unaole to obtain employment
r, ,. In last half-year, no fewer than 3 out of a total
oi i ordinary grade interpreters have resigned from the cadre,
even ohough it meant forfeiting their pensionable service,
because other fields offered them more qttractiwe opportunities.
iqis is sufficiently serious, and it is still more serious
that we should have been unable to recruit men of a sufficiently
high standard to replace them* We have been compelled to engage
Con a temporary basis) raw youths who are, admittedly, able to
about routine office work; but who are entirely
unsuited for the really important side of vernacular work in 7
th®se countries.
u competition we have to face, it
tnat the Anglo^Persian Oil Coropany pay even their
junior xxtBxjsKBitgx interpreters from 160 to 240 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. (worth
s J: 1 Shtiy more than the same number of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. at the present rate
of exchange): while a senior man would receive about 400 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
with many valuable concessions. In Kuwait (where the Oil
uorapany do not employ interpreters) ordinary Arab clerks on
routine duties are paid from Rs, 166/- to fc/210/- and rereiva
free accommodation, light, fuel and water when employed at the
w flich. are outside KuwaitlowS? The
cpmpetitipn of the oil companies, far from decreasing in naace
oime is likely to be greatly enhanced since the war^as restricted
’nen ir an?it S iq R Hn^i C 0 ^ 39 qU ? n Hy/ h ? ir d9raand for this type of
now’baf^ ,r ? 0 ^ tant we ahould secure good men
no oetore they are all taken up by our KsmgKfcrfcbi con^etitors.
,Althougil Muscat is not at present exuosad to thn
aftlr thi°w fl ^ nnH°+h C ° ,r ? any ’ probable that it wifi be
raaponaibla ditiea 31 ™^ihSr i 1 a r a l 2 re.“Bl'SLh‘ a f„SS iCUlarl: '
that this post should, be jag* interchangeable with tna crthars^
u rins..