Page 137 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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centre in Iran. This is largely due to the poverty of the Ustan.
Opium Is the cheapest Intoxicating drug and Is used as a substitute
for wine and spirits.

This year shortage of opium was felt in Kerman and half the
licensed shops were closed. Government i6 now collecting half the
quantity of burnt opium before issuing a fresh supply. This burnt
opium is said to be added to the raw opium of the new harvest.
Opium eaters are in difficulties as cney have no burnt opium to
exchange.
7/ater supply for Kerman.
A scheme which was originally proposed by His Excellency
Aqai Ali Soheli, in 1938 when he was Ustundar of Kerman to bring
water to Kerman from the Chari-river about 20 miles south-east of
Kerman, was taken up again in February and March when a gift of
Rials 10,000,000 was received from the Shah. So far nothing has
materialized except talk. Aqai Mehdi Farrukh had included in his
improvement scheme the building of hospital, bank, hotel, cinema
and widening of th^* streets, and had left the water supply to the
last. The Kerman deputies to the Majlis objected that the supply
of water should come first. Hence lack of progress. But something
may yet come of it as the present TJstondar Aqai Rad is showing
interest in the matter. Increased water supply would add new life
to Kerman.
(n) Industry and Development.
There was no industrial development during the year.

Carpet-making is the/important industry of this province.
Exports to the United States of America decreased and finally
ceased almost entirely owing to the war. Thera was however a
temporary boo.n in the late autumn owing to a sudden demand for
carpets of every quality frora Tehran. It is thought that this v.as
due to lack of faith in the currency as a result of which many
people wished to put their money into real property. In November and
early December the prices of Carpets rose by 100 - 300 \S• This had
droppedJtLittle towards the end of the year and the boom is now over.
The Kh or s'lid Spinning Kill worked throughout the year, but
suffered from shortage of rp.v; material towards the end of the year.
This was partly due to their stock of cotton wool, amounting to
70-80 tons having/its value 80-00 thousand tomans is understood to
have been covered by insurance.
The aivident paid by this Company for the year ending
20th March 1042 was 4S2 The 1000 Rials shares of this company
o
now cost Rials 1650/—*
VT. MILITARY.
G.O.C. Southern Command.
Sartip Kaikavusl held the post of G.0.C« throughout the
year. He also acted as Ustandar from June 15th to November 9th. He
is a sensible and popular officer, hot lacking in energy or effi­
ciency. His real political views are perhaps open to doubt, but in
all ordinary matters he has been helpful and cooperative.
Early in the year he made the following tours t-
(1) To Bam, .Zahidan and Kwash between 8th to 31st January.
(2) To Zahidon and Charbar between 19th February and 3rd April.
On this tour Sarhang Sa-id,the military Inspector accompanied him.
(3) To Zahidan and Zabul between 28th April and 16th May*
(and after he had been relieved of the additional work of
Ustandar )

(4) To Zahidan, Zabul and Makran from 9th December and was
away till the end of the year. 10/----