Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎271v] (547/1028)

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The lighting arrangements have greatly improved owing to the electric plant
imported in 1931 by Sheikh Abul Kassim Harandi, the Russian Sales A^ent
now functioning. The Municipality at one time endeavoured to go in partner’
ship in this concern but failed. It is generally believed that the concern is
actually a Russian one,
From the month of May to the close of the year the Governor-General acted
as the Chief of the Municipality but in December a certain Waziri, who had \
held the post twice before, was re-appointed. Locally made water-carts have *
been introduced,
Afjrieultnre,’ —M. Makarian, the representative of the Department of Agri
culture in the Kerman Province, received orders in September to close down
his office and return to Tehran. No useful work has so far been accomplished
in this province by the Agricultural authorities.
An Armenian representative of the Ministry^ of Economics paid a visit to
Rafsinjan in April to examine the Pistachio post : nothing further has been
heard on the subject.
Heavy rains of a tropical nature fell in the whole province of Kerman on
the 16|17th July causing heavy floods all round. A number of houses were
damaged and some lives lost. Great damage was caused to qanats (water-
channels). The Governor-General’s estimate of the total damage to the pro
vince was in the vicinity of 10 million Tumans. 524 qanats suffered out of a
total of 3,000 in the province. The land-owners have not yet been able to repair
the larger number of these owing to want of ready cash. The land-produce will
thus not reach the normal level for a number of years to come. Owing to a good
deal of harvest having been washed away by the floods, scarcity of cioni was
already being felt in Kerman at the end of the year.
Locusts .—Two swarms of locusts appeared in the districts of Jiruft and
Rudbar in January, but they caused no damage. In fact the insects were used
as food by the poorer inhabitants—a not unusual practice in the above districts.
The province was thus free from the locust pest throughout the year.
Sejjil-i-Ahwaal .—Mirza Mohammad AH Khan, Dabir Ilahi, was the chief of
the Census Department at the close of the year. No cases of corruption in this
Department were reported during the year, and there have been few instances
of default on the part of the public to obtain their Sejjil-i-Ahwaal papers.
10. Local Politics .—During the year the taking over by the Government of
all the ‘ Waqf ’ property (endowments) in the country was advocated by local
papers calling upon the leading Mullahs to support the suggestion. The
Governor-General also tried, directly or indirectly to influence the chief Mullahs
of Kerman to make public utterances on the same subject but received no
response.
The conversion to Islam of three Russians in the month of January caused
some rejoicing in the town.
Iti October the election campaign to the 9th Medjliss was started and com
pleted at the close of the year. With the exception of the Sirjan constituency
the Governor-General had orders to arrange for the re-election of the former
deputies, who were :—
Muavyid-i-Ahmadi.
Dabistani.
Amir-i-Ibrahimi.
Roohi.
Dr. Malikzadeh.
Mirza Hassan Khan, Mirat Isfandiari, replaced Dr. Sheikh (Ihya-ul-Mulk)
for Sirjan.
As the public were well aw T are that the Government nominees were to he
returned under any circumstances, no real interest was taken in the proceedings
excepl by the parties concerned. A representation, by the trading community
in Kerman to Tehran asking for permission to elect one deputy for the town from
their community met with no response.
Otherwise Kerman has been void of anv political event. The influence of
the Mullahs has wnned still further.
Kerman town and environs
Rafsinjan
Jiruft and Rudbar ..
Bam