Page 582 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947_Neat

4.
(d) POST AND TELEGRAPHS.

(i) The Indian Fostal Administration continued to
run the Post Office throughout the year, * The land
telegraph line to Basra ha3 worked satisfactorily % although
there were occasional breakdowns resulting in considerable
inconvenience to the Kuwait Oil Company and to the mercant­
ile community* The Director of Bests and Telegraphs, Sind
and Baluchistan Circle, Karachi has authorised the Sub-
Postmaster, Kuwait to accept and transmit messages written
in Arabic. It has not been possible to do so for lack of
trained personnel*
The P03t Office continued to operate a twice-
weekly mail service in each direction between Basra and
Kuwait*
(ii) Messrs. Cable and V/ireless have continued to
operate their wireless telegraph station efficiently. The
automatic telephone system installed by Cable and V/ireless
only serves 100 subscribers. There are 135 applications
for new connections pending with the Cable and V/ireless
and an expansion si to 300 phones is planned.
(e) MUNICIPALITY.
The affairs of the Municipality v/ere directed
personally by xiis Highness. Its activities are mostly
confined to a weekly meeting and routine registration work*
(f) HAJ*
The pilgrim traffic through Kuwait was very small
on account of the continued ban by the Saudi Government on
the entry of persons into their territory who were not in
possession of regular travel papers and money to cay the
pilgrim tax of Saudi Rials 520 . About 700 people, mostly
Kuwaitis of Persian origin, left for the liaj during the
year, 300 Kuwaitis performed the journey on camel-back
and the charges ve/'ried from J-.s 4C0/ to 500/- per head for
hire of camel exclusive of food. 400 Ha jis went by motor
transport paying rJ 1,000/- for a fron$ seat in a lorry or
r.> 800/- for a back seat. A seat in a saloon car cost
2,000/-. These charges were inclusive of tax, water and
tentage. During the months cf August end September Indian
destitutes, mostly Sindhis, started arriving in Kuwait on
their way to Mecca. They came by foot and occasionally
by boat from liakran, mostly via Gwadur, Muscat, the Trucial
Coast, and ^atar, hut some followed the South Persian Coast.
None of these had any means of subsistence and v/ere in rags.
In October they tried to proceed from Kuv/ait to Mecca on
foot but were twice turned back by Ibn Baud’s frontier
guards. A batch of 18 sent a telegram to Ibn Saud stating
that they had come on foot all the way from India, and not
only obtained permission but had a lorry sent for them by
the King and the customary tax rerdtted. The destitutes
numbering 55 adults and 2 children were maintained here
and repatriated at the expense of the Government of India.
(g) PEARLING.
The pearling season, which was split into two halves
on account of Ramadhan, resulted in a good yield. About 120
dhows took part. The following were the ruling prices:-
Jev/an. .Ra 500/- to Ra 800 per ohaw
Shirin .Ha 150/- to Ha 250/- " «
Na’ira. ,Ra 60/- to Hi 70/- *» *
Golv/a., .Hi 30/- to Hi 50/- " «
Badla., .Hi 10/- to Hi 15/- " «
Z(“)