Page 142 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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Thd poor relief scheme organized under the auspices of the
, nglo-Iranlan Reliaf and Re-construction Fund began from the 15th
November and provided a good and cheap meal of rash* at 12 Shahia
per charak, to 800 persons every day.
Throughout the area and speq^/flly in Kerman the prices of
food stuffs continued to fluctuate from day to day and the coat of
living rose by more than 300 %• Out of a population of 52,000 it
was estimated in 1941 that 6000 were beggers, but owing to the rise
in prices this figure has considerably increased#
The following is a comparative statement of the cost of a
few essentials which shows the present high prices s-
Dec. Dec. Dec#
1940. 1941. 1942.
Mutton• 16-00 24-00 40—00 per man (6j| lbs.)
Bread. Govt. rate. 2-40 3-60 6-50 « «
Black rate
from free shops. 30-00 a C3
Rice. 12-00 19-00 40 to 60-00° »
Sugar. Govt. rate. 17-00 22-50 30-00 « tj
Black rate. 70 to 90-00 160-00 ° u
Firewood. 60-00 90-00 300-00 per kharwar (650 lbs)

Charcoal. 160-00 300-00 800-00 it D
Bushwood. 7-00 20-00 50-00 • load.
The chief causes of the rise in prices, apart from what
might be expected in time of war, are the lack of transport,
hoarding and distrust of Persian paper money, induced by enemy
propaganda, as a result of the expansion of the currency.

DC# POLITICAL- AFFAIRS.
Rumour in Kerman spreads very quickly and often starts from
the opium smoking dens. When opiumsmokers gather they are inclined
to talk world politics. Before August 1941 this source was used
for German propaganda news, financed by Darudi 'eraRichter
(German engineer of spinning mill).
During the early part of the year i.e. before the signing the
tripartite pact the viev^s of most Kermanis were that since Great
Eritain t;as to be a party to the-pact there would be every confid­
ence that thi terms would be carried out raithfully and Russia in
whom there is no confidence at all, would be obliged to abide by
it as an ally of Great Britain.
The signing of the Anglo-Russian Treaty with Iran caused no
excitement in Kerman. To celebrate the occasion H.Mfs Consul
arranged for the feeding cf poor at Kerman (1000),Yezd (10u0),
Bandar Abbas (300) and Bam (700) persona on the 31ct January. Two
receptions were held in the Consulate, one for officials and
another for merchants and other local personages. Speeches were
exchanged between the Consul and Uatandarand the Consul and Dr.
Irani. An *At Home* was given by the Uatandar on the 17th February
to celebrate the event, which was attended by the Consul and his
staff and local Government officials.
After the signing of the treaty the Kerman police published
a notice in the local *Bidari* paper reminding the people that by
the recent treaty of Alliance, Iron is now united with the Allied
powers and any one indulging in pro-Axis propaganda would be
punished according to the law.
In spite of this notice on the night of 30th April - lab
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