"تقارير إدارة أقسام ومناطق الأراضي المحتلة في بلاد الرافدين لسنة ١٩١٨. المجلد I" [ظ‎‎١‎٣‎٣] (٤٧٠/٢٧١)

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Church Street and Crooked Lane (‘Ashar) Improvement Scheme. —A scheme is
in hand for the improvement of communication to and in Church Street. The
preliminaries have been completed and sanction will shortly be asked.
Jews' Bazaar. —This was recently destroyed by fire. D.A.D.W. (Civil) has
prepared a plan for reconstruction to meet modern requirements, which has received
the approval of the Military Governor.
Improvement of Creeks. —It has not been possible to achieve anything in this
direction, but that such improvements are necessary and must be undertaken at
no very distant date is a fact which must be faced and provided for.
Housing. —The occupation of Baghdad by British forces led to a serious rush
down to Basrah, and when one considers the extent of this influx and the already
congested state of Basrah and ‘Ashar it is remarkable how it has been met. It
would be idle to deny that the civil population have suffered in the matter of comfort
and convenience and in some cases to a small extent in business; but on the whole
they have accepted the situation philosophically, and, though anxiously awaiting the
time when they will once more be able to call their homes their own, they realise
that the process of returning their homes to them must be a long one.
In order to meet Military requirements in the first instance many, indeed almost
all, of the better-class houses had to be commandeered, thus leading to considerable
doubling up of the civil population. On the top of this came the rush of refugees
from Baghdad, and to meet this it was found necessary to build a large encampment
of huts, known as the Refugee Camp. The control of this camp was at first under
taken by the Military Governor, and was subsequently handed over to the Municipal
Commissioner.
It comprises 832 huts, with accommodation for 3,183 souls. The cost of
construction is a Military charge, and the small rental charged is collected by the
Civil Department and credited to Military funds. It is satisfactory to note that,
after allowing 10 per cent, for annual repairs, the rent collected and credited repre
sents about 2 per cent, return on outlay. The actual amount taken on account of
rent since the construction of the camp, 12 months ago, is Rs. 27,999/-, average of
Rs. 2,155/- per mensem. Since the removal of restrictions upon travel, sums
collected on account of rent will fall; and a further loss of income will be incurred
through the Military Authorities’ demand for accommodation at very short notice
in this camp for their repatriated prisoners of war. The refugees in this camp have
been ever well cared for. The huts are comfortable, sanitary arrangements good,
an ample supply of pipe water laid on, and the Civil Health Department have an
all-time Medical Inspector attached to the camp.
Billets. —As mentioned above, the great majority of the better-class houses in
both Basrah and ‘Ashar had to be commandeered for the accommodation of British
officers, subordinate staff, officers, &e., &e. This dates back considerably beyond the
year under review, and it is only necessary to touch upon this question in order to
state how the matter now stands. The question of rents paid for these houses
has recently been reviewed. A Committee was formed for this purpose, and brought
to light certain instances in which it was found that rents paid were insufficient.
Recommendations for the equitable adjustment of this have been forwarded to the
proper authorities. The Committee (partly Military, partly Civil) were, however,
of opinion that, n there were any prospect of a return of their houses to owners
within a reasonable period, it were better not to raise the question. The following
system is followed on the question of repairs to billets :—In first instance, the land
lord is given the option of undertaking repairs. Should he fail to do so within a
reasonable period, the D.A.D.W. (Civil) is called upon to do the work, and his
charges are deducted from the rent due to the landlord.
inters—There are 39 Mukhtars in the municipality. Their duties have
been clearly defined and are well known; and if, on a somewhat limited experience,
1 may venture an opinion, I would say that Mukhtars render very valuable service,
a service indeed for the performance of which it would be difficult to find, at present,
men so capable as themselves.
At the same time, the position, particularly in respect of their emoluments, is
unsatisfactory and needs remedying. The war being over, it will now be possible
to take steps in this matter, and, in the first instance, I would advocate the principle
of largely increasing the responsibilities of Mukhtars—converting them, as it were,