Page 487 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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owing largely to the efforts of Lt-Colonel II.R.P. Dickson C.I.^ • »
numbers of bedouin have been Induced to engage in Manual labour for
the Kuwait Oil Company and the latter have been persuaded to put up
with the waywardness and irresponsibility of bedouin employees.

71 FOREIGN INfSRSSTS
(a) Saudi Arabia
Relations with the jaudi Government have remained friendly throujJ
out the period under review, Every conceivable precaution is taken
vy the Shaikh not to offend his powerful neighbour.
(b) ,Iraq.

(i) Relations with ’Iraq have remained correct, but Kuwaitis
were much inconvenienced by the new ’Iraq Visa Regulations which
take no account of the fact that Kuwaitis, who have numerous relations
ind large interests in ’Iraq, have frequent occasion for visiting
that country at short notice.
(ii) Cn the 27th October, Shaikh Kohammad (second son of His
Highness) was fired on by an ’Iraqi police car a few miles to the
vest of Zubair while returning to Basrah from a hawking expedition.
His right thumb was shot off while another bullet traversed his neck.
His Mutairi guide was killed. The liutassarraf of Basrah telegraphed
his regrets to His Highness and the latter did not lodge any. official
protest.
ra date gardens.

The value of the 180 shares of the Bashiya garden which were
lost in 1944 has been computed at I.D.6,586.681.
larly in the year the ’Iraq ?'inis tries of Finance and the Interio:
ire said to have granted His Highness1 tenants the right to cultivate
::.e extensive mud-flats lying between His Highness’ date gardens and
the river?' '..lien this cultivation is taken in hand it will cause a
very great drop in the value of His Highness* properties.

Certain of the tenants have appealed against the registration of
the estate in the name of His Highness and the ’Iraqi authorities
have made the fact that there is an appeal pending an excuse for
refusing to take action on complaints of theft or wilful damage against
whe tenants.
Till COST OF LIVING.

The cost of living has continued excessively high during the
Period under review. The daily wage of an unskilled labourer reached
^na remains at P.s.5/- plus food and other wages are in proportion
-he rationed distribution of foodstuffs and cloth by the Supply Depart-
-eat proved helpful.

The following is a comparative statement of the prices of main
-ommoaities: -
1939 1944
rtheat Rs.5/- Rs • 28/14/- .. 1945
Sugar Rs.8/- Rs.76/8/- TT Rs.23/14/- per bag
Charcoal Rs.3/8/- ........ Rs.48/- Rs.76/8/- " n n
n
Rs.50/-
Firewood Rs.6/- Rs.48/- ........ Rs*. 48/ - " Rafa
Dates- *3.12/-.............. Rs.15/- _ . (660-lbs)
Tea As.9/- ............ Rs • 2/- .. .Rs.lO/- per basket
Hutton As•2/— ..«•••••Rs• 2/— Rs. 2/- « lb.
Beef As.2/- ............. r3# 2/- Rs. 2/- ** n
Fish As. 1/9/-................Rs. 1/8/- Rs. 2/- ** n
mk As.3/- .............Rs, i/~ Rs. 1/2/-" n .
Rs. 1/- n bottle
* SK+lX. £4

/ ROYAL NAVY.