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'File 2/4 II TAXATION of SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.' [46r] (96/448)
The record is made up of 1 volume (220 folios). It was created in 1 Jan 1931-19 Dec 1932. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
5
• • • •
the Shaikh’s relatives. These two gardens* together,
represent both in area and value over 90# of the whole
properties under consideration. The remaining three gardens
are presumably those referred to in paragraph 6 of Colonel
Biscoe’s confidential despatch No.2*7/T dated the 7th of
November, 1930, as belonging jointly to the Shaikh and three
other members of his family. They are comparatively small
in size. It is the larger estates which dominate the
problem, and which in my opinion effectively rule out as
impracticable any attempt to purchase then^iy private
agreement.
4. The schedule attached gives the detailed informa
tion asked for in Your Lordship’s telegram of the approximate
annual output in produce in "value and in kind of each of
the five properties, and also the rate and amount at which
revenue would have been demanded from them had not the
exemption from taxation been operative. In considering
the figures of produce and the value of produce contained
in the schedule it should be remembered that they are not
based upon actuals and can only be relied upon as a rough
guide. They cover, for instance, only the date crop,
whereas a quantity of grain is also raised on the lands, of
which no account is taken in the calculations. Also the
conversion of the quantities into cash is complicated by the
annual fluctuations in the value of dates. The assessed
value of the produce as given in the schedule is based upon
the prevailing market prices of the 1930 date-crop. Tnese
prices were little higher than half of those which prevailed
during the preceding year. Thus, in twelve months the
estimated annual value of the produce has dropped from
Rs.10 to Rs.5
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
, and it is not possible to forecast the
future trend of prices.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence related to the date gardens owned by the Shaikh of Kuwait, Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ, and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Khaz'al al-Ka'bi, in southern Iraq. In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's intention to end the immunity from taxation (on the gardens) that had been granted to the former ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ, and the Shaikh of Mohammerah by the British Government in return for their military support against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War.
The correspondence is mainly between British officials discussing the possible solutions to the gardens taxation issue. Among the suggested solutions was the selling of the property. British officials report that the Shaikh of Kuwait is entirely flexible in regards to the selling of certain estates but not the ones in Al-Faw. But they also suggested that it would be rather useless for the Iraq Government to attempt to purchase the gardens as they belong to more than a hundred relatives of the Shaikh who depend on the produce for their maintenance.
The volume includes statements of an estimated value of the Shaikh of Kuwait’s estates on Shatt al-Arab. It also contains economic reports on the proposed new basis of taxation on agricultural produce in Iraq, and copies of the Government of Iraq’s new laws for the collection of consumption ( Istihlak ) tax and for the collection of land rent and water rent (ff 79-101). The correspondence also includes records of meetings held in London in regard to the question of the taxations as well as the new system of land revenue collections in Iraq.
The main correspondence is between the British Resident, Bushire, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait, the High Commissioner, Baghdad, and the Colonial Office, Downing Street, London.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (220 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 222; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Two additional foliation sequences are present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. One of these additional sequences has been crossed out.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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'File 2/4 II TAXATION of SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.' [46r] (96/448), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/136, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100057155976.0x000061> [accessed 3 April 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/5/136
- Title
- 'File 2/4 II TAXATION of SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:65v, 69r:123v, 125r:145v, 147r:188v, 190r:214v, 217r:221v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence