Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎396v] (797/1028)

The effect on the official class has been depressing in the extreme. With
salaries inadequate to maintain a pleasant standard of life they used to supple
ment their incomes from other sources. With those sources cut off they have
retired into their shell, and gone are the convivial gatherings the little gambling
parties so dear to the Persian heart.
10. Local Officials, and Departments. — Governor-GeneraL —The Governor-
General, Haji Nasir-us-Sultaneh found it expedient to resign in August, fearing
that having fallen out with his accomplices over the bribes taken in connection
with conscription, the Central Government might take cognizance of the com
plaints that were sure to reach them. He was relieved by Mirza Abul Hassan
Khan Pirnia.
Nasir-us-Sultaneh was a pleasant person to deal with and had no liking for
the Soviet. His successor is a colourless personality of mediocre ability which
he endeavours to mask by a show of officiousness. In his dealing with the Con
sulate lie is stiff and formal.
Finance and Revenue .—With the disappearance of American control in 1928
the state of the Finance Department has deteriorated. A prominent official of
the department has stated that 95 per cent, of the Government servants would be
glad to have foreigners back in charge of the Malieh and other departments as
they all realized that efficiency has been steadily declining since the Americans
left.
The Finance Department suffered like others at the hands of the Commis
sion : the Director and two of his staff being put under arrest.
The reassessment of revenue of the Kerman Province continued under the
direction of Qazil Ayagh till September when orders were received to suspend
Revenue assessment. 0stensi , bl ? t0 lack ° f fund S-
v _ somewhat difficult to credit this ex
planation as only half the work has been completed and it has already resulted
in ^ considerable increase in Government revenue. In some villages thp tipw
assessment is 3 to 4 times the old. 6 ^
Since the Monopoly law was brought into force in Kerman scarcelv a miscal
of opium has been bought from the Government ambar. Government revenue
Opium from opium which used to be Tumans
rp, „ ^ T . 15,000 a year is now not more than 5,000.
Inc reason for the failure is the antithesis of a restriction of local consumption
and a maintenance of export revenue. An acre of land under opium will yield
a crop which if sold as contraband fetches Tumans 100 to Tumans 150 whereas
sold to Government only Tumans 30.
The main movement of contraband opium into Kerman is from Fars.
In March reports reached Tehran of extensive movements of smuggled
sugar from Lar into the Kerman province. An enquiry was ordered which led
Smuggling. the seizure of about 1,000 tons of sugar
officialof fho 4 - j. ar!( t the implication of various
of sugar would havo nn * f ^ 16 r0ac ^ ^ ax anc * ^uty on this quantity
released fhe Inefi JsteTT' ,^ Tuma " s 6 ’ 000 - T1 ' e Government eventually
(.leased the confiscated stocks on a payment of Tumans 15,000.
open ed ^at^K erman^on September 3 1st° f ^ Bailk ° f Persia waS
consists of P^LJ atut sttmbef 611110 & ^ S1 ° VaW The staff
A reference to the new Bank’s activities will be found in paragraph 4.
siderable ^nercw'and^ 8 ^^?? ^ la1 ’ ^^rz an ambitious young man of con-
Pollce in Seiile & mber 0f , W ! who had taken U P the P°st of Chief of
intriguer and finding fW T 6 JW P re sence markedly felt. He was a born
high-handed and pnrmnf ai nne faxmured him, lost his head, becoming too
tember Ihev received! do™ i en ^ ^ pommission of Enquiry arrived in Sep-
of rape at which one nf l/ 8 ° n° m J^ ai I dS a§:ainst him. The worst was a case
to cover his traces hv nrd » • S su h 0 idinates had assisted. He had endeavoured
was keeping as his mistresl^'^He^vas 01 ^' 01 !! 26 °? Cial to mariy the ^ irl whom he
Tehran to stand his trial ' placed under arrest and eventually sent to