Page 217 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947_Neat

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1943 too probably the soot dismal year In the history
of ths Gulf admini strati on • Early In January th« Government

of India oaueod the utmost consternation by their deoioion to
give “P the export of cereals* end the Arab States were obliged
to aerer their age-old oonneotlons with "the trade ;f or foodstuffs
and. look for other oouroao of supply. These were eventually
organised by Hlo Kojeaty’s Government through the Kiddle East

Supply Centrep and the neoeosary cereals were back-loaded froa
Basra, which unfortunately involved the consumption of a high
proportion of Irani barley, formerly sold for pig food at \£2 a
ton. ao the rates oharged exceeded those of Australian wheat*

His Kajeaty’a Governoent eventually granted a subsidy to make
good the difference to these States, who were forced to change
their diet of-rice almost over-night to one of oereala which the
hod never eaten before and found the greatest difficulty in

proparing.Since the new arrangements involved offices who wore
completely unfamiliar with the Gulf and quite unaware of local
customs much extra York and' responsibility devolved upon Gulf

officers. It is interesting -to record that on one occasion
supplies were only made available on condition that I gave a
personal guarantee for over £ 10*000.
Great confusion and dislocation was also caused by
the continuing dlointegration of the Gulf call service, Thsas

scattered ports are not nere ly dependent on trade with India and
Europe* but also with each other, and the work of the Gulf
Residency was almost brought to a standstill'by ths unwillingness

of the Ministry of far Transport to listen to the requests nods
to then.' They at no tine showed any grasp of or interest in
local problem and constant resort had to he had to His Majesty’s
Government and ths Government of India to bring pressure to hoar

on then.
Ths trsaendous riss in ths oost of living which had
reached over 9C0!* in perota by the close of the preceding year

/ naturally