Page 17 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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lie was given charge of Shiraz in addition, and in the month of October shifted
Ins headquarters from Busline to Shiraz. The local Weekly pointed out that this
would impair the efficiency of the Quarantine Department. Some people telegraph­
ed to I ehran asking that Dr. Bahrami should remain in Bushire.
Doctor Muniri arrived at Bushirc on the 18th February and held the post of
Health and Quarantine Officer, Bushirc, throughout the year.
His wife holds a French Diploma in Midwifery and held charge of the local
Maternity Hospital for some time at Tomans 80 per mensem.
Census Department.—Aqa Abdul Majid Khan Ferrohi (the only Sunni Persian
official at Bushire) continued to hold charge of the Department till the 20th July,
when Aqa Qawami relieved him, and he left for Ahwaz.
Aqa Ferrohi was a man of literary tastes and his good treatment wras appre­
ciated by the people.
On the 8th May Mirza Ibrahim Khan Mumtaz, Director of Census for the
South, arrived at Bushire from Shiraz. As a result of his inspection, a clerk was
arrested for corruption.
Customs Department.—Monsieur A. Stas (Belgian) held charge of the Provin­
cial Directorate till the 26th July, when he left for Belgium for good after some 30
years in Persia. Though personally quite pleasant he was afraid to take the
smallest responsibility and was entirely in the hands of his subordinates.
Temporary arrangements continued till the 11th September, when Mirza
Habibullah Khan Bahruzi arrived from Tehran and assumed charge of the Direc­
torate. He is a most pleasant official to deal with and is always helpful and obliging
within the latitude accorded him by his regulations.
In consequence of certain complaints made by the merchants of Bandar
Abbas, Monsieur P. Wolters (Belgian) was sent back to Bushire on the 19th Jan­
uary. He held the post of Inspector-General for a few months, but in the month
of April a Commission of Inspection arrived from Tehran and inspected the Customs,
and he and several other customs officials were sent to Tehran, charged with taking
bribes. In the case of M. Wolters the charges were not pressed, and ho was allowed
to leave the country, but his contract was not renewed.
On the 7th December, Monsieur L. B. Vandcnrydt (Belgian), Special Ins­
pector of Customs, arrived at Bushire—an elderly man, he has been newly engaged
by the Persian Government, and is quite inexperienced, and probably too old fo
learn.
Municipality. — The Bushire Municipality was presided over by Saivid Husain
Siadat as usual.
The Assistant Governor, Aqa Muhammad Khan Zand, acted in an advisory
capacity to the Municipality.
The work of widening and improving the streets slackened on the transfer of
$ardar-i-Intisar, Governor, to Shiraz.
In July the Bushire ’Weekly “ Khalij-i-Iran ” commented on the inactivity of
the Municipal Committee, and pointed out that persons suffering from contagious
diseases were allow ed to sell food articles in the bazaar, baths were not inspected,
and no attention was paid to the loads. Stirred by this criticism the Municipality
raised the tax on Hotels to Krans CO per mensem. This raised a strong protest
and the Hotel Keepers went on a strike and closed the hotels. Two days later
the Municipality reduced it to normal rate of Krans 20 per mensem.
The income of the Municipality for a period of four months, from 23rd March
1931 to 24th July 1931, amounted to Krans 27,203*00 and after deducting expendi­
ture, a net balance of Krans 3,000*00 only was in hand.
In the last quarter of the year the Municipality decided to increase its income
of Tomans 30,000 per annum to be raised by taxes. It increased the weighing tax
as from the 15th October and in some items the increase was quintupled.
In the month of December, the Municipality resolved to open two more ave-
nues, one bisecting the town from East to West and the other from North to South.
To effect* this project it will be necessary to pull own GO houses and it naturally
meets with much opposition from the house-owners.
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