مجموعة ٩/٣٠(٢) "تقارير إدارية عن الخليج الفارسي - ١٩٤٥ -" [ظ‎‎٥‎٦‎٧] (١١٤٨/١١٣٤)

42
3. Municipality .Municipality has functioned during* the year with
some success. Although no major works have been undertaken some effort
has been made to clean up the town and repair some ot the roads. A timely
fire at Muscat destroyed the vegetable market and coffee shops outside the
“ Kab al Saghir ”. The Municipality have approved and are carrying out a
scheme to provide cement concrete shops some distance from the gate. \\ ork
has already commenced and some dozen shops have been completed. The old
temporary shelters that sprang up after the fire will be abolished and it is hoped
to maintain a reasonably high level of sanitation in the area. The Municipal
President, Saiyid Hilal bin Badr, is a pleasant and w T ell meaning man but lacks
sufficient drive to really make much impression on the condition of the town.
Tlie leading merchants are completely lacking in public spirit and the Municipal
Committee seem to have neither the desire nor the courage to introduce neces
sary sanitary and public health reforms. The merchants and the public seem to
prefer the present insanitary and disgraceful conditions to giving material
and moral support to the Municipality in their endeavours to improve the
living conditions of the people.
4. General Communications. —Mr. Gf. Gilby remained in charge of the local
office of the Cable and Wireless, Limited, from 1st January to 8th February
1939, Mr. F. Lobo from 9th February to 6th September 1939, and Mr. J. A.
Faithful from 7th September to the end of the year.
From 1st January to 18th April 1939 and from 1st August to 31st December
1939 telegraphic communication with the outside world was interrupted owing
to the breakdown of the Company’s cables. Cable and Wireless, Limited,
arranged with the Royal Air Force Authorities to send and receive all classes of
traffic through the Air Force Wireless Station at Muscat. This arrangement
continued until the 17th December 1939 when the installation of the Company’s
new wireless transmitting and receiving set was completed.
5. Muscat Infantry .—Subadar Hazur Hussain acted as Commandant of the
Muscat Levy, with effect from 1st January to 8th March 1939, when Subadar
Jahan Dad of the 2nd Battalion of the 8th Punjab Regiment arrived from India
and took over charge.
For the first few months after his appointment Subadar Jahan Dad was
keen and did excellent work. Lately however there has been a falling oft” in his
work. ery few V. C. Indian Officers are capable of maintaining a high standard
of work and efficiency unless supervised ; unfortunately Subadar Jahan Dad
does not happen to be one of the few. However, in spite of a tendency on the
part of their Commandant to take the line of least resistance, the Levy are
more elheient than wdien he took over.
G. State Finances. Rai Sahib Duli Chand, the Director of Customs and
Comptroller, left Muscat in March without the Sultan’s permission and was
dismissed trom State service on the same day. Since his departure the Sultan
ms hnnselt taken control of State finances. He admits no one to the financial
secrets of Muscat The Agency is provided with figures quarterly which are
;"“ ,d t . he financial position but as it is not possible to check them it is
very difficult to estimate accurately the degree of solvency or insolvency Hie
Stale tmance® have reached. From figures produced bv the Sultan and from
wn^k'U'T 11 ' 108 Se n mS tha - t this year thc State llas inst managed to pav its
a\ Mith a _very small margin on the credit side. Copies of the State “ IC*-
ceipts and “ Expenditure ” statements for the last quarter of the year form
an Appenmx to this report. The increase in Customs receipts was due o
MSl^Malraf e S!; 1Mo f ,10s to the formation of a food reserve in
Mu sea. and Alatrah. I lie abnormal expenditure under “ P. W. D and Muni-
the^ear 3 " aS ^ t0 811 endeavour to complete the new school building during
On the 31st December the State’s financial
to bo as follows :—-
position was said
by
the Suit a n
Gash on hand in the Muscat Treasury
Invested in Government of India Loan
Invested in Newfoundland Stock
Gash in the Imperial Bank of India ..
Advances recoverable
Rs
A.
p.
. 1,27,932
14
0
99,905
4
0
36,209
5
0
32,000
0
0
4,822
8
0
• 3,00,869
15
0
Total