Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎463v] (931/1028)

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for tralffic in the spring should perhaps be regarded as optimistic. At the
time of writing there were only about 300 labourers working on construc
tion.
Business people have great hopes that the opening of this road will
bring prosperity to Kerman trade, particularly as it is said that a number
of traders in Ispahan and the North are dissatisfied with Russian busi
ness methods and intend to divert their business to the Bandar Abbas
route.
Posts. —During March something was seriously wrong with the Post
Office in Duzdap as letters and newspapers arrived several weeks late
and in certain instances were lost altogether. Otherwise the Duzdap
postal arrangements continued to be satisfactory mails arriving regularly
on the 5 th day except for occasional delay owing to the severity of the wea
ther in winter. The bi-weekly motor mail service between Ispahan and
Kerman, started in July 1927, functioned satisfactorily and mails continue
to arrive from Tehran in 6 or 7 days.
In February the Persian Government sanctioned the opening of the
following new Post and Telegraph Offfices :—
Post and Telegraphs . . . Dusari, the chief town in Jiruft.
P st . - . . . Rewar, Rabur, Khabis and Fahrej ne ir
Bampur.
Till the end of the year however no funds had been provided for the
purpose.
A Junker’s aeroplane arrived in Kerman from Tehran on the 14th Sep
tember and returned on the 20 th idem. The object of the visit was said
to be to enable an opinion to be formed regarding the possibilities of
arranging an aeroplane postal service between Kerman and Ispahan. No
thing more has been heard of the proposal.
Wireless. —The wireless installation in Kerman was completed by the
Russian mechanic in the beginning of May and a four hours trial demon
stration of receiving and sending was given. It is however out of order at
present as some fuse has been burnt out for which they have had Jo write
to Europe. The men here cannot work it properly.
B.—Local Government and Politics.
9. Ltocal Officials. — Governor-General. —His Excellency Mirza Mah
mud Khan, Jam, who had been in offibe since September 1927 left for
Tehran on February 28th to discuss with the Government the financial sup
port that would be forthcoming in the next year’s budget for the various
elementary and pressing needs of this long neglected province. Before
leaving he stated that if Government did not give his proposals reasonable
support he would not return to Kerman, but would seek employment else
where. The Government’s attitude was not very helpful and, either on
this account, or because it so happened that at that moment a new Gover
nor-General was required at Meshed, His Excellency was appointed Gover-
I ^ )r_ ^ ene f a l) Khurasan. Though not perhaps very forceful he had gained
the affections of all classes, during the few months he was here, by his
kindly manner and wholehearted interest in the welfare of the province,
and his transfer to Meshed was a real loss to Kerman. His attitude to
wards this Consulate was very friendly.
Rustam Khan, Isfandiari, (Rafat-ud-Dauleh) the Assistant Governor-
General, acted as Governor-General till the arrival of Mirza Mehdi Khan,
JSaseer (Haji Naseer-es-Saltaneh) on May 5th. Haji Naseer-es-Saltaneh
lacks the straightforwardness and honesty of character of his predecessor.
e came here with the reputation of belonging to the Socialist party and he
certainly assisted them during the elections. He also had Atabaki re-
moved from the office of Rais-i-Baladiyeh and put in his place Agha
Mendi, the leader of the Socialist party who has held this office at various
times since 1910. Otherwise His Excellency has not used his influence in