"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٦‎١‎٠] (١٧٨٢/١٧٦٥)

Enquiry by
Major New-
march into
the working
of the Ouclh
Bequest,
1902.
1610
ments were entered as were made in tiieir presence, and no others. The
Government of India sanctioned this arrangement as a temporary
measure; hut at the same time tlrey pointed out that "the Bequest wa--
intended to benefit those residents at the shrines at Najaf and Karbala
who were regarded as Mujtahids ", and remarked : " It must be clear)v
understood that the ultimate object to be aimed at is that the recipients
of the income of the bequest shall be limited to members of the class
specified above."" Instructions were accordingly given for preoaration
of a list of Mujtahids, which should be revised from time to time.
This was in 1894, after which much time passed without anv list beino-
submitted by the Political Resident.
The question of the Ondh Bequest lay dormant for ten years : but it
had not been settled. It was raised again, in a very energetic manner,
by Major L. S. Newmarch, soon after his appointment as Resident at
Baghdad in March 1902.
The state of matters which he found prevailing was described bv
Major Newmarch as discreditable and unsatisfactorv in the extreme.
The proceeds of the Bequest were not paid direct to the Mujtahid-Distri-
butors at Karbala and Najaf, nor to the Indian Distributors at Kadhi-
main and Karbala, but to the Jewish Sarraf of the British Residency at
Baghdad, who periodically produced a receipt from each of the
Mujtahid-Distributors for half of the whole amount. The portion of the
Indian Fund destined for Karbala and Najaf was sent to the Indian
Distributor at Karbala not direct, but through the Indian Distributor at
Kadhimain. Accounts of the distributions made were submitted but
greatly in arrear, e.g., the account of the Mujtahid-Distributor at
Karbala for the quarter ending 31st October 1901 was not received at
Baghdad until April 1902 ; and the accounts, such as they were, revealed
a lamentable misapplication of the money, both by the Mujtahids and
by the Indian Distributors.
Each of the Mujtahid-Distributors retained for himself Rs. 6.^1 per
mensem, and to this there could be no objection. But large amounts
were admittedly paid to relations and dependents of the Distributors,
both Mujtahid and Indian ; considerable sums were shown as going to
females who did not appear in person to receive them ; and there were
entries, chiefly relating to deposits" which suggested malversation bv
members of the distribution staff. Employes on the Baghdild Residency
establishment who had little or nothing to do with the work of the
Bequest were in receipt of remuneration from the Indian Fund. The
following statement was made to Major Newmarch in coutidence by an