'File 2/4 III TAXATION OF SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.' [23r] (50/461)
The record is made up of 1 volume (225 folios). It was created in 8 Dec 1932-26 Mar 1934. 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
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Copy of confidential demi official letter No. nil,
dated the 1st May 1955, from the Special Service Officer
to 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.
You probably know the reason for my telegram of
to-day regarding the area of the Bashiya estate. Sardine
telephoned to ask if I knew the number of Saribs in the
estate and said that since it had been taken from the
Shaikh by the Iraqi Courts, the British G-overnment were
considering making a cash payment to the Shaikh of the
value of the estate.
I replied that I did now know the area but that
the estate was purchased by Mubarak for about £.t.5000
gold.
Land valued in the Basra area have of course
depreciated tremendously (witness Farhads case) and
Jardine says good land is now going for Rs.500 per Jarib.
He added that he intended to recommend Rs.1000/- per
Jarib for the Bashiya, which, he thought was a fair
price as according to records the estate v/as only pro
ducing Rs.60 per jarib before expenses had been paid.
I have not sufficient information to dispute his figures
but no doubt you know if they are approximately correct.
He did not say he was telling me in confidence,
and in any case, I expect you already know all about
it.* If not, I am sure you will appreciate my point when
I say I shall be grateful if you can aboid disclosing
your source of information.
Note by P.A.
S.S.O. wired enclair on 1.5.55. asking size of
Bashiyeh in Jaribs. 0 ^ T ,
P.A. replied same day or 2nd day or 2nd May
rT Approx. 55 Jaribs” . No record kept these wires.
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. A particular taxation system called Istihlak (consumption) tax has been imposed by the Iraqi Government on the produce of the gardens. British Officials discuss payment of export duty on garden produce from the Shaikh of Kuwait’s gardens in Iraq, and the allegations made by the Shaikh of Kuwait against the customs authorities at Faw.
The British Ambassador in Baghdad reports that because of the enforcement of the new tax law, the Iraqi Government is no longer able to make exempt from taxes the Shaikh‘s gardens' produce that has been exported from Iraq for the personal use of the Shaikh.
The volume includes a copy of minutes of a conference on the Shaikh’s date gardens held in Baghdad and minutes of an interdepartmental meeting held in London in regards to the gardens issue.
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, asks the Shaikh of Kuwait to provide full and detailed statements showing all payments and losses resulting from the imposition of Istihlak tax by the Iraqi Government. The Shaikh in turn provides six statements (ff 194-221):
- Statement I. Showing the amount levied as Istihlak tax from merchants purchasing and exporting dates in 1932.
- Statement II. Showing the amount levied as Istihlak tax from merchants purchasing and exporting dates in 1933.
- Statement III. Showing the amount levied from the Shaikh as Istihlak tax and under the heading 'Customs duties' on articles exported for the Shaikh’s private consumption.
- Statement IV. Showing the quantities of dates which the Shaikh was obliged to surrender from his own share to the fellaheen Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. (peasants) working in his gardens under the Istihlak tax.
- Statement V. Showing the losses sustained by the Shaikh as a result of the disobedience of the fellaheen Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. due to the introduction of the Istihlak tax.
- Statement VI. Showing the grand total of the above lists.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (225 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 227; 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 between ff 6-222; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/5/137
- Title
- 'File 2/4 III TAXATION OF SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:5v, 7r:20v, 22r:28r, 29r:78v, 78ar:78av, 79r:111v, 114r:117v, 119r:132v, 134r:193v, 222r:227r, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence