Page 36 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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The posts on the Kermnn-Bandar Abbas motor road were rc-inforced after
Sartip Toysan was wounded by Farsi robbers in the course of their attack on the
lorry conveying the mails in which the General was his party as passengers.
Judicial Department.
Bandar Abbas.—The Sulhich Court remained closed till October when on the
return of the G9vernor off leave, it was re-opened under his own presidency.
Lingah and Minab.— No courts have as yet been established at these places
and litigants are obliged to refer their cases to the Governor for arbitration—a
practice which is considered as being most unsatisfactory and a hardship to
merchants and traders in general.
Customs.
Bandar Abbas.—Mirza Riza Quli Khan Ashraf returned off inspection in the
first week of January and resumed charge from Monsieur Woltcrs much to the relief
of the local merchants who had ample reason to complain against the arbitrary
methods employed by the latter.
He remained in office till about the end of the year when he was relieved by
Mirza Abu Talib Khan Abasalti.
Mirza Reza Quli Khan was very hard working and popular with the mercantile
community. A marked improvement was observed in the Customs House during
his regime.
No important seizures of contraband merchandise were made during the year.
The year was noteworthy for the passage of numerous regulations by the Persian
Parliament wliich restricted, if not paralizca the foreign import trade. Customs
duties were high, if not exorbitant and the surtax of 20 per cent, introduced in April
30 was increased to 80 per cent, in February.
Lingah.—Monsieur Nissan Haim was in charge of the Customs throughout the
year. He is an affable official and anxious to afford reasonable facilities.
Persian Troops.
Bandar Abbas.—Sultan Allahyar Khan commanded the troops in the Southern
Gulf Ports till August when he was relieved by Yawar Safar Ali Khan Nusrat.
Sarhang Abbas Khan Alburz, the General Officer Commanding the Brigade
at Kerman paid a visit of inspection, coming via Bushire. He passed through
again in December, en route to the Biyaban district to supervise the operations in
connection with the disarmament of the tribesmen.
No military operations of any importance were undertaken during the year with
the exception of an attempt in March to disarm the Bashakardi tribesmen and again
in December when 700 men were drawn from the Kerman area for the purpose and
were still engaged in the Bashakardi country at the end of the year.
The discipline of the troops was as satisfactory as in the preceding year.
Sartip Mohamed Khan Shahbakhti who accompanied His Majesty Reza Shah
Pahlevi to Kerman, arrived in January to inspect the garrison.
Sartip Nasir-ud-Daula Khan inspected the station in March.
The Conscription law was brought into force'in this district in October. A
committee presided over by the Governor with the heads of local departments and
five merchants sitting as members was formed to examine persons pronounced fit for
military service by the Census department. Sarhang Farajullah Khan Mushar,
the Officer-in-charge of Conscription attached to the Kerman Brigade arrived to
watch the proceedings of the Committee.
Condition of the country.
Bandar Abbas town.—This was fairly free from crime during the year.
Biyaban.—Except for a dispute between the followers of Mir Barakat Khan
and the Taherzai tribes which started in 1930, the country was conparatively-
peaceful.
Condition of the Roads.
The routes leading to Kerman via the Tang-i-Zagli and Tang-i-Zindan remained
practically safe throughout the year. A few attacks on lorries and caravans by