Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎223v] (451/1028)

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2. Haji Shams-ud-Din Jalali who had been appointed Grovemor-General in
Fars in July 1932 was suddenly recalled to Tehran on August 19th. After a
short interval during which Mirza Mohd. Ali Khan Shaibani, director of the
Finance Department of Fars, assumed the duties of acting Governor-General
Mirza Majid Khan Ahi, formerly of the Judicial Department in Tehran was
appointed to the vacant post and arrived in Shiraz on September 29th.
The new Governor-General, whose pet schemes are to provide Shiraz with
an adequate water supply and to construct additional “ Khiabans ”, has proved ^
himself a capable and energetic official and has adopted a helpful and friendly
attitude towards H. M.’s Consulate.
Other local officials also appeared to be well disposed but acting evidently
on instructions not to enter into intimate relations with foreigners of any
description were careful to keep themselves at a discreet distance. The ban
also fell, though perhaps less rigidly, on non-officials and there was more than
one instance of Persian visitors to the Consulate being questioned by th e Police
as to the reason of their visit. As a result, many of those who used to be
frequent visitors latterly never put in an appearance. In some cases they
expressed regret and hinted darkly that they would like to, but feared the
consequences.
A noticeable and pleasant exception was provided by one old Persian
merchant of some seventy or eighty years of age, formerly a power in Shiraz,
now something of a spent force but still a greatly respected figure, who arrived
quite cheerfully astride his donkey, whenever an occasion for calling presented
itself.
j Economic hardships probably prevented the people from bothering their
heads over much with political questions and the Basidu incident, though
reported briefly in the local press, failed to arouse any real interest much less
ill-feeling. Similarly the press article dispute in the latter part of the year
produced no visible repercussions and probably passed unnoticed by all
save habitual readers of the Tehran newspapers.
What is more certain, howmver, is that there were genuine and widespread
complaints against the present government and a belief, freely expressed, that
its economic policy was ruining the country. Landowners and cultivators
found it impossible to pay the revenue charges of two or three years ago. The
government departments would agree to no diminution and failure to pay meant
fines and confiscation of crops.
The merchants, also, fettered by regulations and handicapped by the almost
complete cessation of the opium trade and the poverty of the peasants which
its non-cultivation entailed, and by the fact that the present import quotas
tended to divert traffic from the Bushire-Shiraz route to the Bandar-Shahpur-
Ahwaz route, complained bitterly that the volume of trade had shrunk to
one-third of w hat it had been in former years. While such complaints were not
aimed directly against H. I. M. there can be little doubt that part of the blame
for the present state of affairs was attached to him and, though he was still
admired for his courage and energy, certain veiled criticisms of his action in
acquiring property for himself at the expense of his people were heard from
widely separated quarters.
The condition of roads and communications in the province showed no
appreciable change from the previous year. Minor improvements were effected
on. the roads from Shiraz to Bushire and Isfahan and repair gangs w T ere in
evidence at various points. Shiraz was linked by telegraph to Ardakan to
the north-west and to Firuzabad to the south. Work on the new motor road
to the latter town was commenced and a strip extending some 5 or 6 miles
out of Shiraz v 7 as completed by the end of the year. The intention is that traffic
between Bushire and Shiraz should eventually travel via this route instead of
as at present via Kazerun. The upkeep of the streets of Shiraz was on the
whole satisfactory though several gaping holes at various points threatened
disaster to the unwary motorist. A newly acquired motor fire-engine contri
buted to the watering of the main thoroughfares and also to the entertainment
of the populace since it never failed to attract an admiring crowd whenever it
stopped to refill.
| . Remarkable progress w r as made during the year with the project for erect
ing a spinning mill in the town. After some initial difficulties a company was
quickly formed and in March an order was placed with Messrs. Platt Bros. &