"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎٧‎٦] (٦١٦/١٥٦)

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1906-1907.
41
On the day following a member of the people's party was passing the house of
the Rais-ul-ulema and was received with hoots and it is said stones. He rushed
into the square shouting that the others had been trying to kill him. The people m
the maidan turned out in some force and rushed for the Rais-ul-ulema s house
where they were met with volleys from the guns of the inmates. I am of opinion
that the nien above-named who were " wanted " were in the house and the residents
thereof thought that the people were coming with the intention of seizing them.
In the riot that ensued four of the people's party were killed and a few wounded.
The Governor was dismissed for his want of control, and so ended the Persian
year.
Political.—In October the Russian Consul appointed Agents at Kasr-i-shirm
and at Khurramabad in Luristan. These are appointments, I fancy, more m the
nature of news agencies than anything else.
Shortly after a trader, the Wakil-ut-tujar, of Senna, was appointed Russian
Agent at that place.
After the downfall of Ismail Bakir in the bank, of which mention will be
found, the acting Russian Consul approached him with an offer to supply him with
Russian piecegoods for his stores on two years credit. Bakir did not accept
the offer as he desires to import English goods where it is possible.
Customs. —M. Wafielaert, the Director General of Customs, received the Russian
Order of St. Anne of the 2nd Class. He stated that this was for the assistance
which he gave to Prince Anatouni at Bushire.
At the beginning of 1907, M. Waffelaert seized certain goods belonging to a
British subject, a Jew, Shawal Levi by name. These goods were on their way
to Pusht-i-kuh in Persian territory ; since there is no custom station beyond Kerman-
shah in that direction M. Waffelaert maintained that these goods were being
smuggled across the frontier. I pointed out that, though it was true that certain
goods, viz., a jewelled sword, half a pound of shot and the food of the muleteers^
had not been declared to the customs, it was absurd to say that it was intended to
smuggle such a ridiculously small quantity of goods across the frontier which lay
a considerable distance beyond Pusht-i-kuh.
The food belonging to the muleteers should have been declared according
to rule, but this rule has been honoured in the breach. M. Waffelaert, however,
persisted in seizing two mules which he agreed to release on payment of Tomans
100. The punishment was out of all proportion to the technical offence, and so the
case was referred to the Central Administration at Tehran, whence after enquiry
Shawal Levi was ordered to pay a fine of 10 Tomans.
Throughout the case I maintained and still maintain that the Reglement
Legal could not be made to apply since that code applies to import and export
onlv, and cannot be made to refer to carriage in the interior of Persia. This point
is still under reference.
M. Waffelaert was most pig-headed, I might say discourteous, throughout
the case ; he refused to release the mules which' he had seized even on my
personal security that I would be lesponsible for the recovery of any fine inflicted
by the administration at Tehran. He was however ordered to release the mules
directly the case was referred to Tehran.
There was little doubt he was swayed by Baron Staudach, a Persian
subject of Austrian origin, a member of the Customs Department and a Mussulman,
who had a grudge against both the owner of the mules and their lessee.
Posts. —At the beginning of the year the Governor asked that the posts
should be taken out of the hands of the Customs Department and placed in the
hands of the Persian as the pensions were paid very irregularly. Captain Gough
notes that the postal department could not be worse organised than it was at the
time and a change could not be for the worse. I may note that this change has
since been effected.
In December last M. Waffelaert under orders from his administration demand
ed double tax on all letters bearing Service stamps. As I had received no notice
and was unaware of the legality of the demand I did not take delivery of such
letters and referred the case to the Legation. It was finally ordered that letters
bearing such stamps should be delivered free pending the Government of India^
being warned that the use of such stamps should be discontinued for Persia.
3147 F. D. Q 2