Page 166 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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COST OFLIVINa.
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The cost of living has ilsen in a manner truly distressing to
see and it is remarkable that there is not more hardship and real
want than there is in the town. This is probably due to a corres­
ponding rise in wages and the absence of unemployment owing to the

absorbing of the ex-employees of the Kuwait Oil Company by Messrs,
yoley, Prentice and Company and the demand for labour in Iraq..
The following is a list of the principal necessities of life

showing the amazing increase in the cost of every commodity: -
1939. 1942.
Hice (Bawli) Rs. 7 a bag. Ks. 29/4 a bag.
Theat. Rs. 5 a bag Rs. 29/4 a bag.
Dates. Annas 12 a basket. Rs.9 a basket.
Fodder (Dry) Rs.3 a camel load. Rs.24 a camel load.
Sugar. Rs. 8 a bag. Rs. 60 a bag.
Tea Rs.3 for 5 lbs. Rs. 14 for 5 lbs.
Charcoal Ks.3/8 a bag. Rs. 25 a bag.
Milk. Annas 3 a bottle. Annas 10 a bottle.
Firewood (palm wood) Rupees 4 a thousand Rs. 20 a thousand
pieces. pieces.
Mutton. Annas 14 for 5 lbs. Fr. 5 for 5 lbs.
Beef. Annas 10 for 5 lbs. Rs. 3/8 for 5 lbs.
Fish. 1 rupee for 10 lbs. Rs. 5 for 10 lbs.
The Imperial 3ank of Iran, the Kuwait Oil Company under pressure
from Government, Mes-.rs. Cable and '.Tireless Limited, and the Kuwait
Government realising how necessary it was had all granted substan­

tial war allowances in some form or other to all their employees
t>7 the end of the year, a war allowance to the menial staff only

of the Agency was sanctioned in August, 1942.
X. jAR YORK. During 1942 local shipwrights supervised by the
Agency constructed 24 belluras of 170 tons burden for Inland 7ater
Transport, and seventy wooden water tanks of a capacity varying from

500 gallons to 1000 gallons for various Military and Air Force
formations and units.
Messrs. Foley, Prentice and company using local shipwrights
have reconstructed and planked and decked ^^o^ton barges

shipped from America in pieces.
12 dhows have been fitted out as mine watching vessels and

repairs of various kinds have been carried out by the local ship­
wrights.

Rupees. 4,2321 and four trunks of olothes were sent to the